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REMINISCENCES 

BY 

SYLVESTER BARBOUR, 

A NATIVE OF CANTON, CONN. 

FIFTY YEARS A LAWYER, 

AND 

APPENDIX 

CONTAINING A LIST OF THE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS, AND A COPY 

OF THE BY-LAWS OF PHffiBE HUMPHREY CHAPTER, 

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, 

OF COLLINSVILLE, CONNECTICUT. 



l^artforti pre«;rf 

The Case. Lockwood a Brainard Company 

1908 



pi)orbe f)«inpl)rfp Cl)aptcr 
of tl)e r'auffbtcrg of t\)t Slmerttan Ectolution 

OF COLLINSVILLE, CONNECTICUT 

MANY OF WHOSE MEMBERS, LIKE MYSELF, WERE BORN IN 

THE TOWN OF CANTON 

THIS UNPRETENDING LITTLE BOOK 

IS DEDICATED, WITH THE SINCERE ESTEEM OF THE 

AUTHOR AND COMPILER. 



SOME REFERENCES TO CONTENTS. 











Page 


Aclcert, Peter ...... 


35 


Adams, Gen. Ezra 








:^^ '■ 


2, 53, 87 ^7^ 


Emerson H. and Family 








136 ' 


Additional Sketches 










101-145 


Adventists 












94-96 


Anecdotes 




• 17, 


27, 32, 


33, 68, 


83, 84, 


132, 142 


Barber, Alson and Family 












56-62 


" Rev. Clarence H. 












59 


" Harvey and Family 












138 


" Jonathan Sherman 












138 


" Levi 












48, 49 


" Linda 












132 


" Rev. Luther H. 












57 


" Melissa 










140, 


141, 142 


" Nancy and Family 












136, 137 


" Sodosa and Family 












140-143 


" Susan and Family 












133-135 


" Thirza and Family 












132 


Barker, Ludlow 












16, 107 

"3 

129, 130 


Barbour, Rev. Clarence Augustus, D 


D. 








" Edward Payson and Family 








" Heman Humphrey . 




17, I 


36, io8. 


116, 120 


" Rev. Heman Humphrey, Jr. 








no, m 


" Henry and Naomi Humphrey 






lor, 


130, 139 


" " Martin . . ' 








141 

n6, 117 


Stiles 










"5. 


" Hiram 












31, 56 


" James Joseph 












III, 112 


" Jesse 










3 


I, 72, 77 


" Rev. John Baptiste 










114 
117 


" " John Humphrey, D.D., and 


FamiU 






" Joseph Lane and Family 






17, 


108, 109 


" Juliaette and Eliza Naomi 








126, 128 


" Linus 

" Lucius, and General Lucius A. 








77, 78 
102 


" Boarding around " . 








26, 88 


Bristol, Anson W. 










144 
143, 144 
49, 136 


" Noah Russell Lyman 
Brown, William Ely and Family 










" Sherman Ely . 










137 

45, 46 

2. 32, 34 

32 

22 


Burt, Rev. Jairus 










Canton, founders of . 








2 


named by whom ? 










" not a stain on its name 










" burning of records of 










64 
22 

49, 137 


" Centennial 










" Center choir . 













/3. 



SOME REFERENCES TO CONTENTS. 



Canton churches 

" " active laymen in 

" clergymen 

" probate judge, first 

" lawyers and lawsuits 

" physicians 

" scholars 

" school district quarrel 

Case, Benj. F. 

" Chester and Everett 
" Elam 
" Franklin 

" Mrs. Franklin (Lucia) 
" Gen. Jarvis 
" George Jarvis . 
" Levi 
" Norman 
Pliny 
Ruggles 
" Seymour N. 
Charter Oak, fall of . 
Churches, donation parties of 

" present friendly relations of 

" not always so 

" heating of . 

" Conference House," Canton Center 
Courant office, location and editors of in 1851 
Dyer, Cemetery 
" Families 
" Mrs. D. T. . 

East Windsor Theological Seminary 
Falling Stars 
Foote, Col. Miles and Family 

" John Mills (deputy sheriff) 
Freeman, Dr. Orrin B. 
Funeral Customs 
Funeral Invitation 
Garrette, Pluma Barbour and Family 

" Joseph Warren and J. Frank 
Griswold, Dr. Chauncey G. 
Hallock, Rev. Jeremiah 

" " Squire " Homan 

Hartford, business men in 1856, 
" clergymen •■ •• 

" lawyers " " 

" physicians " " 

" town meeting debaters 

Hawes, Doctor Joel 
Hill, William, President Collins Co. 
Hitchcock, " Doc " Edward, professor in Amherst 
Hosford's Tavern 

Hough, Frederick J., Asst. Supt. Collins C( 
Humphrev, Families ... 
Mrs. Alfred F. . 
'' Austin N. 

" Dwight 



College 



71 



Page 

44. 48, 91 

49 

44. 48 
33 

52, 53. H 

49. 50, 51 

26, 37. 54. 88 

35 

30 

29. 30 
33. 142 

29 

30 

49. 53. 55. 87 

55. 87 

30, 31, 48, 49 

46 

28 

27, 28 

30 

15 

45 

96; 98 

96'-98 

67 
36, 40, 67 

15 
165, 166 

34 

30, 43 
57. 60 

69 
130 
131 

49, 50 

65, 66 

81 

124-126 

125, 126 

30 

44 

45, 64 
16 

15 

12, 13 

16 

17 
43 
78 
82 

25 

78 

75. 76. 79-81 

30, 41, 76, 88 

65. 73 

73. 74 



VI 



SOME REFERENCES TO CONTENTS. 



Humphrey, H. Davton 

" ' " "' Jr. . 

Rev. Heman, D.D. 
" Loin, and Loin Harmon 

Pliny and Pliny O. 
'■ Roilin Orestes and wife 

" Solomon . - . 

" Theophilus and Family 

" Warren C. 

Inventions last century . . ■ ... i8 

Kasson, Doctor Ben Adam 

Kinney, Mrs. Sara Thomson, State Regent D. A. R 
Lane, Lucy Barbour 
Roljin D. 
" Willis A. 

Large Families . . . . • 55. 56 

Low prices in former days 
Matches, introduction of 
McLean, Revs. Allen and Charles B 
Merrill, Daniel and Familv . 

Rev. Selah, D.D.,'LLD. 
Mills, Ephraim 

" Simeon 
North Canton Academy 
" " Cemetery 

" ~ " Churches 

Old Style houses 
Pepper on Stove 

Perkins, Charles E., last of Hartford's lawyers of 1856 
Perry, Oliver Franklin, Esther Clarinda, Wilbert Warren 
Phoebe Humphrey Chapter, D. A. R., of Collinsville, Conn, 
Sears, President Collins Co. . 
Select Schools in Canton 
School Teaching in former days 
Spelling matches in former davs 
Smith, Charles H., Supt. Collins Co 
Spencer, Imri L. and Familv 
■ " , " A. 
Tiffany, Doctor Russell H. 
Tolling Bell for deaths, etc. 
Tornado 

Treat Lambert House 
" Watching " with the dead 
Weatogue 

Weed, Stanley and Family 
Williams, Mrs. Ruth Case 

" " Numerous relatives of 



E 


•age 




79 




80 


48, 56, 


71 




72 




73 


39, 


73 




71 


72, 


79 


49 


72 


19, 68, 85, 


103 


51, 


52 


38, 


43 


118- 


122 


33, 


142 


122, 


123 


62, 72, 140, 


144 


88, 


92 




68 




47 




47 




47 


32, 33 


35 




35 




36 




37 


28, 36 


91 


67. 73 


74 


53 


64 




12 


104, 


105 


43. 151- 


r66 




78 


26, 37, 53, 


54 




88 


89, 


90 




78 


133, 


134 




134 




50 




65 




70 


25, 


102 




66 



26 



86-94 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Barbour Dwelling-House 

Barbour, Heman Humphrey and Henry Sitles 
Henry and Naomi Humphrey 
" Joseph Lane and Rev. Heman Hum 

PHREY, Jr. 

" Sylvester and Edward Payson 
Barker, Ludlow 
BissELL, Hiram 
Burt, Rev. Jairus 
Case, Chester and Everett 
Crane, Doctor C. L. G. 
Dyer Cemetery 
Dyer, Mrs. D. T., Organizing Regent Phcebe 

Humphrey Chapter, D. A. R 
Garrette, Pluma Barbour . 
Griswold, Doctor Chauncey G. 
Hitchcock, " Doc." Edward, Professor in Amherst 

College ..... 
Humphrey, H. Dayton ... 

" Mr. and Mrs. Rollin Orestes . 

Jewell, Puny . 
Kasson, Doctor Ben Adam . 
Kinney, Mrs. Sara Thomson, State Regent 

D. A. R 

Lane, Lucy Barbour, .... 
" Rollin Dwtght .... 
Lougee, Mrs. J. B., Regent Phcebe Humphrey 

Chapter, D. A. R., 
McLean, Rev. Charles B. 
North Canton Academy and Cemetery 
Page House, Oldest in Canton 
Perkins, Charles E., Hartford's only Lawyer of 

1856 
Perry, Esther C. 
Phcebe Humphrey House 
Russell, Doctor Gurdon W., only Survivor of 

Hartford's Physicians of 1856 
Talcott, Major William H. 
Whitney, Amos 
Williams, Mrs. Ruth Case . 



fad 



ng page loi 
106 
102 

108 
106 
16 
12 
46 
92 
16 
164 

152 

102 

84 

84 
80 
84 
12 
46 

152 

102 

46 

152 
46 
36 

148 

12 

108 
152 

12 

16 
16 
92 



PREFACE. 

The Idea of issuing this book did not originate with 
me, but with readers of the newspaper articles who pro- 
fessed a desire to have the biographical and historical in- 
formation contained in the articles preserved in a more 
permanent form than is afforded by scrap-books. It will 
be seen from what is said on page 42 how it came about 
that the Fifty-Year article was followed up with others; 
and from what is said on page loi how it came about that 
the Additional Sketches hav^e been included in the book. 

The Statistics have been gathered and prepared for 
publication with great care, so that they might be reliable; 
and it is believed that the mistakes, if any, are very few. 
The letters are copied from the newspaper, including the 
editorial headings, without change, except typographical 
corrections, and the insertion in brackets of a little ex- 
planatory^ matter. 

The portraits of living persons are printed with the 
willing permission of those persons, and those of deceased 
persons by permission of the families of those persons. 
The first eight are of well known, highly esteemed, vener- 
able gentlemen, mentioned in the Fifty-Year article. I 
should be less than human if I were not proud to be 
permitted to be in such a pictorial environment. 

I bespeak for the book the considerate judgment of 
readers critically inclined. I hope I may be believed when 
I sav, that my only motive in all this task I have under- 
taken has been to render a helpful service to such persons 
as are interested in statistics such as have been here 
gathered together. 

S. B. 

Hartford, June 20, 1908. 



[Hartfokd Times, July i6, igo6. 



FIFTY YEARS A LAWYER. 



Half-Century Retrospect by Judge Sylvester 
Barbour on His Golden Anniversary. 



TWO lawyers of '56 LEFT. 



Judge Sylvester Barbour, one of Hartford's oldest and 
most respected lawyers, today observed the fiftieth anni- 
versary of entering the legal profession. Judge Barbour- 
is in good health, and is daily at his office. In rounding 
out the half-century of service as an attorney he has the 
congratulations of professional and business circles of the 
city and the legal profession of the state. 

Judge Barbour prepared for The Times the follow- 
ing interesting communication, giving a condensed history 
of the professional life of Hartford for fifty years, the 
details being carefully verified: 

To the Editor of The Times: 

A certificate I hold, signed by James Nichols, assistant 
clerk of the superior court, brings to my mind a pleasant 
experience T had fifty years ago tonight, having had the 
honor of spending that evening in the Hon. Richard D. 
Hubbard's office, now that of George G. Sill, undergoing 
an examination, conducted by Mr. Hubbard as a commit- 
tee of the court, followed the next day by my admission 
to the bar, upon his recommendation. A half-century 
retrospect may be of interest to some of your readers, as 
it is to me. 

There are today but two lawyers living who were then 
residing and practicing In Hartford — Mr. Sill and 



12 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

Charles E. Perkins, the latter now the acknowledged and 
beloved leader of the Hartford county bar; and, in pass- 
ing, I might say, he seems as alert and zealous in his 
practice in his seventy-fifth year as he was in his twenty- 
fifth, and that, with habits calculated to promote longevity, 
he ought to be good for another twenty-five years, and 
thus, with Russell Sage, " expect to reach par." [Mr. 
Sill died May 19th, 1907.] 

Among the older lawyers, fifty years ago, were 
Thomas C. Perkins, Isaac Toucey, William Hungerford, 
Francis Parsons, Charles Chapman, and William W. 
Eaton. In physiognomy and eloquence, Mr. Perkins re- 
minded me of Henry Clay. It was a treat to see and 
hear him argue a case in court, his animated countenance 
and whole frame showing the intense interest he had in 
his cause. Five years later he was appointed judge of the 
supreme court, but he declined to accept, partly, perhaps, 
because of the ridiculously small salary then paid. Mr. 
Hungerford was conceded to be the most learned lawyer 
at that time. For many years he had as a partner Wil- 
liam R. Cone, who possessed rare business and financial 
ability, the firm amassing wealth, one evidence of which 
was the erection by them of the Hartford Trust company 
block; Mr. Parsons was eminent in character and sound 
in counsel; Mr. Eaton, grave and impressive in manner, 
in great demand for jury trials; and Mr. Chapman was 
admitted by all to be without a peer in the trial of criminal 
cases, keenest in wit, retort and sarcasm, and so adroit 
and subtle in the cross-examination of witnesses that it is 
doubtful if he ever failed to expose perjury when 
attempted by a witness whom he was cross-examining. 
The venerable ex-Chief Justice Thomas S. Williams was 
then living. He was a man of attractive simplicity and 
benignity. Mr. Parsons's mother was his sister. 

Among the younger prominent lawyers at that time 
were Richard D. Hubbard, previously and subsequently 
state's attorney; William D. Shipman, Henry K. W. 





CHARLES E. PERKINS 
Born March 21, 1832. 



GURDON W. RUSSELL, M.D. 
Born April 10, 1815. 





HIRAM BISSELL 
Born Aug. 12, 1818. 
After strenuous contention, he originated the Hart- 
ford Water Supply System, and was the first Presi- 
dent. 



PLINY JEWELL 
Born Sept. i, 1823. 
President of the Jewell Belting Co., established in 
1848, by Pliny, the father, and sons, and since con- 
tinued. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



13 



Welch, Nathaniel Shipman, George S. Oilman, and 
Lucius F. Robinson. The latter was less impassioned 
and florid in speech than his brother Henry, but was an 
accomplished scholar and learned lawyer, well adapted 
for a place on the bench of the supreme court. His 
intimate friend, Judge Storrs, of that court, recognized 
that quality in Mr. Robinson, and several of the opinions 
handed down by the former are known to have been writ- 
ten by the latter, among them* that in the very important 
case of the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance company 
vs. the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad 
company (25 Conn., 271). That case involved the 
application of common law principles, and three of the 
ablest lawyers in the state, William Hungerford, Wil- 
liam D. Shipman and Roger S. Baldwin, were counsel in 
the case. Like Mr. Welch, Mr. Robinson possessed rare 
amiability, and there was very sincere mourning by their 
brethren and the community when they died in midlife. 
Eminent as the bar of this County has ever been, it is 
doubtful if it was ever more so than then. The Perkins 
family is unique in this county, in that it has had a repre- 
sentation in four successive generations: Enoch, Thomas 
C, Charles E. and Arthur, all college educated and prom- 
inent as lawyers. The family having the nearest approach 
to that honor is that of Waldo and Hyde; Judge Waldo, 
son-in-law, Alvan P., grandson, William Waldo, and 
great-grandson Alvan Waldo Hyde. There have been 
several instances of three generations having such repre- 
sentatives. Judge x'\sa, Charles and Charles R. Chapman; 
Francis, John C. and Francis Parsons; Ahollab, J. War- 
ren and Warren B. Johnson; William N., William L. 
and William R. Matson; Thomas, Thomas M. and 
Arthur P. Day. The first named of the last three for a 
time was judge of the county court, and for many years 
supreme court reporter, and at his death, in 1855, ^^le 
eulogies, commemorative of his life and work, were pro- 



14 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



nounced by bench and bar; Thomas M. practiced for some 
years, then became editor of The Hartford Courant, 
dying recently at an advanced age; Arthur being now en- 
gaged in legal work connected with the Connecticut Trust 
and Safe Deposit company. Judges Calhoun and Briscoe 
were then practicing in this county, the former residing 
in Manchester, and the latter then, as now, in Enfield. 
As shown by the Register the list of lawyers was then 
50, now 175, with frequent accessions. 

The judges of the supreme and superior court, up to 
1856, held office "during good behavior," though then, 
as now, only to the age of 70. The eight-year term for 
those judges began that year. The county court, which 
had criminal as well as civil jurisdiction, was abolished 
the year previous, to the displeasure of eight judges, who 
were thus legislated out of office. That court then ap- 
pointed the state's attorneys. The recorder of the city 
court then, and until 1873, ^^^ with two associate lay 
judges, who, like himself, were appointed by the common 
council. The year before, Hon. Eliphalet A. Bulkeley, 
the senator's father, was recorder, and Gurdon Trumbull 
and Nathaniel H. Morgan were the associates; Nathaniel 
Shipman was clerk, Lucius F. Robinson, city attorney; 
Goodwin Collier was judge of the police court and Ben- 
ning Mann, clerk, the judge being then, and until 1871, 
appointed by the common council. There was no prose- 
cuting attorney of that court until 1875, grand jurors 
having before that acted as the prosecuting officers in that 
court. Henry Francis was town clerk. He is immortal- 
ized by his unique, neat and very legible penmanship on 
the land records of the town; Henry C. Deming, lawyer, 
courtly gentleman, silver-tongued orator, was mayor; Ezra 
Clark was in congress from this district; William T. 
Miner, governor; Nehemiah D. Sperry, secretary of the 
state, and now the only survivor of the state officers of 
that year; Hiram Bissell was president of the board of 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



15 



water commissioners. J he Courant offi-ce was in the 
second story of the building on the southwest corner of 
Main and Pratt streets, Thomas M. Day being the editor 
and Abel N. Clark office manager. The post-office was in 
the building connected with The Times office. William 
James Hamersley, the judge's father, was postmaster. At 
that time the area of the city was not quite one-fourth 
w^hat it now is, the west line being about where Sigourney 
street is. The Charter Oak blew down on August 2 1 
of that year. I visited it more than once during the two 
or three days it lay prostrate, and, as I recall its scraggy" 
form, in trunk and limbs, apparently furnishing very little 
material for constructing anything, I am amused at the 
stories told of the many things produced from it. Mark 
Twain fitly, in an indirect way, showed the absurdity of 
these stories, when, in his adciress of welcome to ex-Presi- 
dent Grant, on his visit to Hartford after his journey 
around the world, he spoke of Hartford as " the home of 
the famous Charter Oak, out of which most of the city 
had been built." The humor of the remark was too much 
for the placid face of the general, he even smiled. 

Not a clergyman now here was here in 1856. The 
pulpits were ably filled, the pastors of the churches being 
Dr. Bushnell of the North Congregational, worshiping in 
the building now on the northeast corner of Main and 
Morgan streets; Dr. Hawes in the Center; Dr. Walter 
Clark in the South Congregational; Mr. Beadle in Pearl 
street (now Farmington avenue) ; Mr. Abercrombie in 
Christ; Mr. Washburn in St. John's; Mr. William W. 
Patton in Fourth Congregational; Father Hughes in St. 
Patrick's; Dr. Murdock in South Baptist; Charles R. 
Fisher in Market Street Episcopal; Mr. Kelsey in Meth- 
odist Episcopal, worshiping in the building on the corner 
of Trumbull and Chapel streets, now occupied by ex-Sen- 
ator C. C. Cook for an office and lumber business; Thomas 
S. Childs in Presbyterian, in their church edifice on the 



I 6 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

southeast corner of Main and Sheldon streets, not long 
hefore that bought from the South Baptists on the latter 
moving into their new church across the street; Moses 
Ballou In the Universalist, in their church edifice on Cen- 
tral Row, they moving four years later to their church on 
Main street, which they have just vacated; Dr. Turnbull 
in North Baptist, they having recently left their edifice, 
standing where the store of Brown & Thomson now stands, 
that edifice thereafter for a while being known as Turo 
hall, and used for public meetings. 

Among the surviving business men of that day are 
*Thomas Sisson, Ludlow Barker, Hiram Bissell, *Aner 
Sperry, *David Rood, Ex-Chief Henry J. Eaton, Henry 
K. Morgan, Pliny Jewell, William Francis, F. R. Slocum, 
Major William H. Talcott, *Daniel Stevens, John Allen, 
Amos Whitney, Hiram Loomis, and George W. TuUer, 
the latter being in the clothing business where the Courant 
building now stands. [*Since died.] 

Among the leading physicians were Drs. Gurdon W. 
Russell, Beresford, Barrows, Crary, Sr., and Curtiss, the 
first named being the only one now living. Dr. Crane is 
the only surviving dentist; then, as now, at No. 8 State 
street. 

The year 1856 was most exciting, politically. Slavery 
agitation was at its highest. Because of it, it took nine 
weeks to organize the house of representatives that met in 
December ^previous, Nathaniel P. Banks being elected 
speaker on the one hundred and thirty-third ballot, by a 
plurality of three, not a member from a slave state voting 
for him. Senator Charles Sumner was brutally assaulted 
and nearly killed in the senate chamber by Representative 
Preston S. Brooks, of South Carolina, Incensed by a 
Speech the senator had made on " The Crime Against 
Kansas." It was three years before Mr. Sumner was 
able to resume his seat in the senate. After a sharp con- 
test to prevent the renomination of Franklin Pierce, whose 





DR. S. L. G. CRANE. 



LUDLOW BARKER. 





AMOS WHITNEY, 
Born Oct. 8, 1832. 



MAJ. WM. H. TOLLCOTT, 
Born Feb. 17, 1831. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



17 



attitude on the question of slavery m the territories had 
been unsatisfactory to many northern democrats, the 
contest being carried on in behalf of Douglas and Bu- 
chanan, the latter was nominated at Cincinnati on the 
seventeenth ballot. Heman H. Barbour, Joseph's father, 
was in the convention and among the most ardent sup- 
porters of Buchanan. He took the stump, making many 
speeches. Having resided and campaigned in the west, 
where joint debates were common, he invited the repub- 
licans to select their champion to accompany him in the 
joint canvass of this part of the state. Joseph R. Hawley, 
then a young lawyer, practicing in company with John 
Hooker, was chosen, a selection pleasing to Mr. Barbour. 
These champions addressed large audiences in an immense 
wigwam, erected on the present site of Park church and 
adjoining buildings, and in other towns, Mr. Hawley 
advocating the electjon of Fremont, and Mr. Barbour, 
Buchanan. A pleasing circumstance, as I now look back, 
is the fact that Joseph, then in his tenth year, was shout- 
ing vigorously for Buchanan, making speeches to gath- 
erings of his numerous younger brothers, and neighbors' 
boys, attracted by his budding oratory. Doubtless he 
was then as successful in captivating his infantile audi- 
ences, as he is now those of adult years. Mr. Eaton and 
Mr. Hamersley did good .work on the stump. Mr. Ham- 
ersley was a man of imposing presence, tall, erect, and 
stately, and an effective speaker. Mr. Barbour was a 
candidate for postmaster under Buchanan, the contest 
being prolonged and sharp, Mr. Hamersley winning, and 
being reappointed. 

In those days the town meeting was the arena of 
sharp debates, and Hartford had able champions therein. 
Prominent among them were Messrs. A. E. Burr, James 
G. Batterson, Mark Howard, John L. Bunce, presi- 
dent of the Phoenix bank, always stately and aggressive, 
in his swallow-tailed coat and trim black cravat, and 



I 8 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

Thomas T. Fisher (father of Major George B.), these 
men rarely failing to be present to work for good govern- 
ment. In debate Mr, Fisher was a match for the others, 
which is saying much, and in repartee he was as keen as 
Mr. Edward S. Cleveland, of later days. I recall one 
instance, when he made an impassioned speech, advocat- 
ing an important matter, and an opponent, in replying 
to him, accused him of being angry, when, quick as a flash, 
Mr. Fisher interrupted him with St. Paul's retort, " I 
am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words 
of truth and soberness." 

I recall, with great pleasure, instances of warm per- 
sonal friendship between the most ardent political an- 
tagonists; for example, these — Mr. Burr and Mr. Bat- 
terson, Mr. Eaton and Mr. Hawley, and Mr. Hawley 
and Mr. Barbour. Each man of these pairs saw in the 
other a sincere, fearless man, having the courage of his 
convictions, whom he could not but respect ; it being true, 
as was fitly remarked recently by Judge Harmon, in an 
address made at the funeral of his friend, Governor Pat- 
tison, of Ohio: "Sincerity and bravery will always win 
friends." 

And now, Mr. Editor, please permit me, in closing, 
by way of pleasantry, to indulge in a little homely poetry, 
making some contrast between 1856 and 1906: 

Compared with time that went before, 

Fifty years are but a mere span. 
Yet, when we think the matter o'er, 

In it, what wonders wrought by man! 

In eighteen hundred fifty-six, 

No telephone, no car on street, 
Nothing but cry of " Fire! " to fix 

The place for the firemen to meet. 

No machine to do man's writing, 

Save his old quill and metal pen ; 
Poor woman could not do a thing 

To help the weary business men ; 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

Now, where'er we go, we find her — 

In shop, store, office, college, too, 
Doing what God dfesigned her for, 

Happy, finding something to do. 

Then, it took a full week, and more, 

To get news over the ocean; 
Now, we get it from farthest shore 

In a minute, under ocean. 

" We call our fathers fools, so wise we grow. 

No doubt our Mnser sons will [yes, can] call us so." 

Hartford, July i6, 1906. S. B. 



19 



[Hartford Times, Editorial July i6, 1906.] 



FIFTY YEARS AGO. 

The letter of Judge Sylvester Barbour, which is 
printed on page 3, goes back beyond the mernory of most 
readers of this paper, for it begins with the day just fifty 
years ago when Mr. Barbour passed his examination for 
admission to the Hartford bar. His examination was by 
R. D. Hubbard, long since gone over to the majority, 
and of the lawyers of that time in Hartford, only two 
survive, George G. Sill and Charles E. Perkins. The 
examination was in what is now the office of Mr. Sill. 
Out of the stores of recollections due to a long life, a 
good memory and a wide acquaintance. Judge Barbour 
makes a paper of lively interest, not least in his brief 
characterizations of the men of the older days. Among 
the older lawyers at that time, he speaks of Thomas C. 
Perkins, second or third in a line of lawyers by descent, 
which has continued through three later generations, and 
who reminded him, in physiognomy and eloquence, of 
Henry Clay; Isaac Toucey, afterwards senator and sec- 
retary of the navy; William Hungerford, whom he con- 
siders the most learned lawyer of the time; Francis Par- 
sons, Charles Chapman and William W. Eaton. He 
mentions Chief Justice Williams, who was then living, 
and among the younger lawyers of his early days he 
speaks of Richard D. Hubbard, William D. Shipman, 
Henry K. W. Welch, Nathaniel Shipman, George S. Gil- 
man and Lucius F. Robinson. He says much more about 
the bar. Passing on to later times, he notes that not one 
of the clergymen of 1856 is now living. He recalls many 
old business men, who will prove well known to the older 
readers; he notes thafDr. Gurdon W. Russell is the only 
physician of 1856 now living; he tells something of the 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 21 

height of the anti-slavery discussion at that time. In a 
word, he takes the readers back to days which are merely 
historical to most of them, and, in a perfectly simple way, 
sets them forth, so that in place of mere names, there 
comes something like a feeling of acquaintance, even to 
those not yet old enough to have had personal knowledge 
of many of these men, even in their later days. 

It is a delightful letter, kindly observant, and aston- 
ishingly young in spirit for a man who has practiced fifty 
years at the bar. It is a pity not to have more of these 
reminiscences, especially the professional ones which prob- 
ably appealed most strongly to the writer, for they show 
a gift at characterization which is rather rare and is worth 
much indiscriminate cataloguing of details. 



[Hartford Times, July rg, 1906.] 



THE CANTON CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY. 



Poem by Hartford Lawyer — Judge Sylvester 
Barbour. 



Judge Barbour's verses were entitled " Salutation to 
Canton," and he recited them just before the close of the 
forenoon's exercises. There was a manifestation of 
pleasure by the assembly, and personal appreciation by 
several prominent ones on the platform at the delivery 
of the salutation. The Times prints the poem in full: 

SALUTATION TO CANTON. 

Hail ! Canton, one hundred years old ; 

From far and near we're gathered here, 
Where we were born, as we've been told, 

To celebrate thy natal year. 

We've come to talk about that year. 

When thou wert born, so long ago; 
We've come to thank Simsbury, dear, 

For so kindly letting thee go. 

No one of us was living then, 

As we so much regret to say, 
Though some are more than three-score ten, 

And glad to see this festal day. 

We're proud to own thee our mother. 

There's not a stain upon thy name. 
As a town there's not another 

More free from aught to cause one shame. 

The older ones of our numbers 

Well knew the staunch and upright men 

Who acted as thy founders. 

We revered them, we children, then. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

And ever since our childhood days, 
Scores upon scores of like good men 

Have ruled thee in true, honest ways, 

Would there were time to mention them. 

Most of them have gone to their rest. 
Their lives of faithful service o'er, 

And we hope they're among the blest 
On yon bright and heavenly shore. 

May each coming generation 

In like manner, in honesty, 
Govern thee, beloved Canton, 

During the coming century. 

And may the next celebration, 
To be held in two-thousand-six, 

Be as joyous to thee, Canton, 
As is this in nineteen-nought-six. 

No one of us will be here then, 
As none of us was at thy birth; 

God grant us, then, a home in heaven, 
As, one by one, we've passed from earth. 



23 



[Hartford Times, Oct. 15, 1906.] 



VISIT TO HIS NATIVE TOWN. 



Reminiscences by Judge Sylvester Barbour, in 
Connection with a Sunday Ride to Canton. 



To the Editor of The Times: 

On a recent Sunday I took a delightful drive Into the 
country, one that I can recommend to others, fond of 
hill, dale, now and then a fertile field, wild scenery, and 
beautiful views from mountains. I am sure Dr. M. and 
his dentist companion would be delighted with it. I wish 
I had the gifts of the former for describing it. One 
should take the precaution, which I did, to have a horse 
afraid of nothing, and controllable In all situations, for 
the traveled part of the highway In many places is little 
more than a good cart path, say eight or nine feet wide, 
making it difficult for teams to pass on meeting, not to 
mention the on-rushing, frightening automobile. Doubt- 
less the highway was originally laid out of suitable width; 
but as it costs less labor to maintain a narrow way than 
a broad one, bushes, trees and rocks have been allowed 
to occupy the major part of what land belongs to the 
public, but the road, what there is of it. Is kept in good 
condition. My friends ©ut there need not chide me for 
this seeming criticism, for, as a country boy among the 
hills, accustomed to assist In the repair of roads, I well 
know what a great burden it Is for the taxpayers In 
sparsely settled towns to keep their highways in repair. 
A spin on the dirt road of the country must be very 
pleasing to the city horse, accustomed to the hard pave- 
ments. The undulations, though sometimes mountains, 
must contribute to his comfort, in that different muscles 
of the body are brought into use alternately. The 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



25 



monotony of dead-level prairie travel is very fatiguing 
to man, as I have learned from tramps upon it, and must 
be so to the horse. 

My drive took in my beloved native town, Canton; 
the route out being the north wav, over Talcott moun- 
tain, through that most quiet, restful little village, Wea- 
togue, peopled in summer considerably by city folk; on 
through West Simsbury, formerly known as Case's farms; 
on over a winding elevation, down into that staid village. 
North Canton, not much given to changes; thence around 
another considerable elevation, to the dearest spot on 
earth to me, the old house where I was born, on the rug- 
ged farm connected with which my early life was happily 
spent in hard toil, rendering such assistance as I could 
to my parents, who were struggling to rear and support 
a large family; thence down by more hilly, w^inding road, 
a mile and a half to the old Treat Lambert house, so 
called, in an older annex to which my father was born 
(that annex having been removed In recent years), on 
which mile and a half of lonely road there are but two 
houses, a road we children traveled on foot, going to 
school, most of us beginning such experience at the age 
of three years; thence to and through Canton center, 
where was built the first church in town, to a point in the 
old turnpike road from Hartford to Albany (so much 
traveled for transporting goods between those cities before 
the days of railroads), near Cherry Brook railroad sta- 
tion; thence on past the ruins of Hosford's tavern (from 
Avhich a moneyed traveler mysteriously once disappeared, 
heavenward. In the opinion of the late Congressman 
Simonds, as expressed In a magazine article) ; on through 
Canton village, formerly more generally known as Suf- 
frage, for what reason I don't know, a village one would 
readily recognize if he hadn't seen it for seventy-fiv^e 
years; on through Avon, and over the mountain, up and 
down which the late Charles F. Rustemeyer many times 



26 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

drove his double-decker, four-horse omnibus, with never 
a mishap; and thence through West Hartford and Eliza- 
beth Park, home. I doubt if a more delightful drive here- 
about can be found, for the enjoyment of the love of 
country. 

A half-hour was most pleasantly spent in a call upon 
each of three estimable ladies, beloved pupils of mine, 
fifty-four years ago, in a select school I had the honor of 
teaching in the little schoolhouse, near Adams's corner 
— namely. Miss Martha Weed, her sister-in-law, Mrs. 
Antoinette (Case) Weed, and Mrs. Sarah (Case) Vining. 
Mrs. Weed lives with her brother, James, where their 
father, Stanley Weed, long resided. I remember the 
latter as an ardent, lifelong democrat, with whom, as a 
whig boy, I had pleasant, instructive arguments (for he 
was a man of great intelligence), during the few nights 
T spent at his house. In those days teachers " boarded 
around " considerably, a practice that gave the teachers 
a chance to get acquainted with parents. In that respect 
it is much to be commended, for it is about the only way 
in which teachers can have the acquaintance which is so 
beneficial to the school. The first three terms of my teach- 
ing experience I boarded around, and I bear witness to 
much enjoyment while being as royally entertained as 
the means of the hosts would permit. In those days the 
school teacher and minister were considerable personages 
in the country. There was one little experience connected 
with boarding around that I remember particularly, 
namely, retiring to the fireless spare room on a cold, wintry 
night, to receive a shock from the icy-cold sheets, equal in 
benefit, though, I doubt not, to a cold-water bath, for 
producing sleep. In those moments thus spent in com- 
posing myself for sleep, I sometimes wondered if the last 
human occupant of the room were not a dead one. I was 
senselessly spookish about such things. My childish dread 
of dead persons continued to haunt me somewhat In after 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



27 



years. I remember with what quickened step I would, 
when a child, go past a graveyard in the darkness of 
night; how, for several nights, after attending a funeral, 
I would bury my face beneath the bed covering, as if, 
more effectually, to shut out the haunting face of the dead 
one. Perhaps my horror, in the respect referred to, is 
not common with children, and with older persons. Cer- 
tainly a relative of mine was more sensible, of whom my 
mother used to speak. His wife died, she' was laid out in 
their bedroom, and, owing to limited sleeping accommo- 
dations, he was seen to be making preparations for occu- 
pying a bed in that room for the night. On being remon- 
strated with for so doing, he said : 

" Sarah never did me any harm while alive, and I 
don't think she will now." 

He retired, as contemplated, and soon gave audible 
evidence that he had lapsed into sleep. Even now, it seems 
to me, no amount of money could tempt me to pass 
through such an ordeal. What more awe-inspiring than 
the silence of the dead! 

Stanley Weed was born November 30, 1 806, the year 
Canton was set off from Simsbury, and died November 4, 
1884. His son George, my pupil, was born April 7, 1835, 
and died May 22, 1902. The latter's widow is tenderly 
caring for her father, Mr. Everett Case. Mrs. Vining 
makes her home at the General Ezra Adams house, with 
her daughter, wife of Henry Adams, grandson of the 
general. [Everett Case has since died.] 

Mrs. Vining's father, Ruggles Case, was one of the 
most respected citizens of Canton, a lifelong democrat. 
He lived to an advanced age. About 1820 he erected a 
shop. In which he established and for very many years 
carried on blacksmlthing. I vividly remember watching 
him many times, shoeing horses and oxen I had ridden and 
driven there, a distance of three miles, to be shod. In 
those days the blacksmith made his own shoes and nails, a 



2 8 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

work largely done at the time of shoeing, and which kept 
the by-standers dodging the particles of red-hot iron fly- 
ing about while the iron was being hammered into shape 
for use. Mr. Case's devotion to his business was so close, 
intense and long-continued, that he became greatly bowed 
in form. His shop still stands, somewhat aged in appear- 
ance, but otherwise just as it was sixty-five years ago, when 
I first began to visit it for the purpose I have indicated, 
a grandson succeeding to the business. The old red 
schoolhouse, formerly used for the lower grades of 
scholars, near the blacksmith shop, was sold by the dis- 
trict to Ruggles Case, and is now used by his son Henry 
as a storehouse, across the street. A new schoolhouse 
to take its place was erected in 1872, and the year before 
the Methodists built an attractive wooden church, near by. 
Mr. Pliny Case, a veteran blacksmith at the center, in 
those days had his share of the town's patronage. He was 
a staunch democrat, highly respected by everybody. His 
widow (second wife), a very intelligent woman, for many 
years a successful school teacher, occupies the homestead. 
His shop which, till lately, like the one of the other Mr. 
Case, remained unchanged in appearance, has passed into 
other hands and has been renovated. There is nothing 
significant in the coincidence of the names of these black- 
smiths, for, in those days, a large percentage of the in- 
habitants of the agricultural part of Canton bore that 
name, so much so that it was sometimes facetiously re- 
marked that a stranger coming into town and meeting a 
man whom he did not know might pretty safely address 
him as Mr. Case, and, if that name proved a misfit, call 
him Mr. Barbour, a name common there then. Those 
names are not so largely represented there now, though 
the Cases are still quite numerous. There have not been 
many millionaires among the Canton Cases, but in general 
thrift and respectability they have not been excelled there. 
Hard cases among them have been rare, so rare, that I 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



29 



recall but one, and he was all right except that he was 
dreadfully profane, though his profanity was confined 
mostly to his oxen, in the breaking and handling of which, 
notwithstanding, he was a splendid master. I shall not 
be so impolite as to mention his name; perhaps some of 
the older people out there can guess to whom I refer. It 
ought to be said, however, that later in life he ceased the 
habit referred to, and died in the Christian faith. Speak- 
ing of oxen, there was a man there a half century ago. 
Mr. Franklin Case, who excelled as a raiser and trainer 
of that beautiful, sleek, red breed of cattle, the Devon- 
shire. His strings of anywhere from 6 to 10 pairs, rang- 
ing in age from yearlings up, at cattle shows, and on 
other occasions on the street, were a delight to the eyes 
and tastes of lovers of fine stock. Speaking of this ex- 
cellent man, reminds me of a pleasant incident. On a 
certain Sabbath, in church, at the close of the sermon, 
upon the minister's invitation, Mr. Case stepped out of 
one pew, and his wife-to-be from another, into the center 
aisle, where after a brief ceremony, they returned to his 
pew, thenceforth to walk life's way together till death 
should, and did, sever them. Marriage is a contract, and, 
ordinarily, contracts entered into on Sunday are not bind- 
ing, but no one has been heard to question the validity of 
a contract of this sacred nature, when entered into on that 
day. 

A part of my mission that day was to call upon those 
highly respected, aged gentlemen, so much noticed at the 
celebration, Messrs. Chester Case and Everett Case. The 
former is 95 years old this 9th day of October, and the 
latter was 94 on the 14th day of last March. The former 
retains much of the vivacity and enthusiasm of young 
manhood, walking about town quite nimbly for so old a 
man, and the latter, though infirm for getting about, 
retains his mental faculties in full vigor. His words are 
few, but witty, weighty and wise. His countenance indl- 



30 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



cates a strong intellect and benignant character. Inter- 
spersed with farm work, his occupation for many winters 
was teaching school. These men are widowers, were old- 
time whigs, afterward republicans, and voted for most 
if not all of the presidential candidates of those parties, 
ending with Theodore Roosevelt. [Both now dead.] 

There are four other aged people in Canton whom 
it was my privilege to call on on the Sunday of celebra- 
tion week — Mrs. Lucia Case, widow of Franklin; Mrs. 
Alfred F. Humphrey, daughter of that eminently good 
man, Dr. Chauncey G. Griswold, whose salve has been 
such a boon to society; Mr. Levi Case and Hiram Bar- 
bour. Mrs. Case retains her physical and mental vigor 
and marked business ability. Acting as a trustee under 
the will of her brother, Seymour N. Case, well known in 
Hartford fifty years ago, she has drawn numerous checks, 
in assisting nephews, nieces, grand-nephews and grand- 
nieces in getting a liberal education. Mr. Case was a 
successful lawyer, and accumulated a large estate. Having 
no family of his own, he could not have more wisely be- 
queathed it. Mrs. Case's son, Hon. Benjamin F., is an 
invaluable man in business and social matters in Canton, 
and her four daughters, Lucia, widow of Miles Case, of 
Braintree, Mass., Marion, widow of Mason Case of Can- 
ton, Flora, wife of Mr. Rose, of Granville, Mass., and 
Hattie M., wife of Daniel T. Dyer, of Canton, are in 
like manner most highly respected and useful members 
of society. The latter is the honored regent of that branch 
of the Daughters of the American Revolution known as 
the Phoebe Humphrey chapter, and is most active and 
zealous in research concerning colonial and later ancient 
history. Having had a hint from that respected organi- 
zation, that such action on my part, in any paper of a 
historical nature that T might prepare, would be welcome, 
I modestly and respectfully dedicate this article to that 
association. I fear, however, it is not deserving of such 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



31 



a high honor. Mrs. Alfred F. Humphrey is nearly as 
sprightly as when I first knew her sixty years ago. She 
continues to well fill her place in church and society mat- 
ters, and took in the celebration exercises with delight. 
She is the last of her father's family. Her mother was a 
sister of the Hon. Ephraim Mills. Her sons are well 
known, highly respected business men in this county. She 
makes her home with her daughter in the house erected 
by Volney G. Barbour. [Lucia Case died Jan. 2d, 1908.] 

Mr. Levi Case, though feeble, is still able to perform 
a little light farm work. He makes his home with his son, 
Asa L. Case, in a very ancient house, near the famous Dr. 
Everest house. He is a very intelligent, strong minded 
man; formerly taught school several terms, practiced sur- 
veying, and is recognized as a safe authority on the ancient 
history of the town. He began his political career when 
Henry Clay was the idol of the Whig party, voting for 
him for president in i 844, and has been a republican since 
Whig days. He has voted at every presidential, state 
and town election since he was made a voter, until two 
years since, when he became too feeble to go to the polls, 
though he did, however, vote for Mr. Roosevelt in 
November, 1904. To talk with this man on historical 
matters is like sitting at the feet of Gamaliel. Mr. Hiram 
Barbour is in feeble health, and nearly. blind — lives with 
his daughter in the famous Jesse Barbour house. The 
latter was a shoemaker, and oft did I visit his shop at noon 
time, for the repair of my boots, and, before I could 
understand much about politics, I many times heard him 
discourse on Jeffersonian democracy, as he at the same 
moment was hurrying through my work so that I might 
not be late at school. He was a disciple of Thomas 
Paine, but it took an able logician to match him in argu- 
ment on theology or politics. He was, withal, a very 
good man. 

There have been noteworthy incidents in the lives of 



^2 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

some of the early settlers In Canton, which I proceed to 
relate. General Ezra Adams was prominent in the for- 
mation of the town, and represented it several times in 
the legislature. I feel honored in a relationship, resulting 
from the marriage of a sister of my father to a son of 
his. His descendants are quite numerous, and highly 
respectable. His wife survived him a few years. Ac- 
cording to a story I heard in my boyhood, and now con- 
firmed to me by one of the oldest people in Canton, she 
possessed some of the heroism of Israel Putnam. She 
awoke one night, hearing some one in her cellar; she 
arose, prepared herself to face the burglar, and, with 
candle in hand, and, seemingly, her life in her hands, she 
descended alone into the cellar, and, to her surprise, found 
a poor neighbor there, helping himself to meat from her 
barrel. In the well-known kindness of her heart, it can- 
not be doubted she permitted the poor man to carry home 
some food, but with the sharp injunction thereafter to 
take the honest way to supply his wants, by applying to 
her when needy. 

Mr. Ephraim Mills, who was born in 1782 and died 
August 7, 1863, was of an age to assist in the organiza- 
tion of the town. In 1806, and did materially assist. In 
connection with the Canton centennial celebration, a query 
arose in my mind how it happened that the town came to 
have its beautiful name. I never had heard, and, so far 
as it has come to my knowledge, there has been nothing 
said about it in connection with the celebration. I began 
an Investigation and was Informed by Mr. Mills's esti- 
mable daughter, Mrs. R. O. Humphrey, whose memory 
goes back into the forties, that she had often heard her 
father say that he suggested the name. But, why Canton? 
It came from Mr. Mills's Interest In the Swiss people 
and their ardent patriotism, and was suggested to his 
mind by their territorial divisions into cantons. The 
name appealed to him, partly because of its pleasant 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES oo 

sound, and its being so easy to speak and write. Mr. 
Mills did not have the educational advantages of this day, 
but, by his very studious habits he came to be a man of 
rare intelligence. He had a great fondness for the natu- 
ral sciences, anci his knowledge of philosophy, chemistry 
and astronomy was extraordinary, and in historical mat- 
ters he was an authority. He was the first judge of 
probate of the district of Canton after the town became 
a probate district in 1841. His daughter holds his com- 
missions, signed respectively by Governor Chauncey F. 
Cleveland, Governor Roger S. Baldwin and Gov^ernor 
Clark Bissell. He three times represented the town in 
the legislature. It has been the rule in Canton to send 
a man to the legislature but once, so that the honor might 
pass around, and some have died waiting for their turn 
to arrive. 

Mr. Rollin D. Lane, a Canton boy, early orphaned 
by the death of his father, relates to me a pleasing inci- 
dent in the life of another of those early Canton men, 
Mr. Elam Case, grandfather of Benjamin F. Mr, Case's 
family lost a little household article, of no great value, 
and Rollin happened to find it, and he promptly returned 
it. Mr. Case proceeded to reward him, and, in doing 
that, to leave on the boy's mind an impression that would 
probably never be effaced. He said to the lad, handing 
out 25 cents: " Here are I2>4 cents for your finding the 
article, and 12 J/2 cents for your honesty in returning it." 
In those days one of the pieces of silver money was one 
stamped I2>^ cents, and commonly called ninepence. Such 
a fatherly address of commendation of a good deed is 
worthy of imitation by actual parents. This incident 
suggests to my mind a remark I once heard the Rev. 
James B. Cleav^eland, a man of rare wisdom, make in a 
sermon on the training of children. He said that he had 
found it efficacious in family government never aftenvard 
to refer to any act of a child's misdoing, when once it had 
3 



04 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

been reproved, and then watch for opportunities promptly 
to commend the child for good deeds, his theory being 
that deserved praise incites to good behavior in the child. 
His success in rearing quite a large family of children 
tends to prove the soundness of the theory. He was 
happily aided, of course, by his wife, whose beautiful 
poem, " No Sects in Heaven," attracted such wide notice 
and admiration. The probate judge in New Haven, and 
another son, a young lawyer of great promise in New 
Haven, who died a few years ago, were children of that 
family. I know it will be said, it's blood that tells, but, 
all the same, we know that training has largely contributed 
to the production of many of the most respected and suc- 
cessful of men. 

Mr. Zenas Dyer, grandfather of Daniel T. Dyer, was 
another man who took part in Carlton's setting-off pro- 
ceedings. In 1 8 1 2 he built the house in which the grand- 
son lives, situated on the north side of the old Albany 
turnpike, near Farmington river, on an elevation com- 
manding a fine view of varying scenery. Mr. Dyer used 
the house for a time as a tavern, sharing with nearby 
Hosford's tavern the entertainment of the extensive trav- 
eling public. I well remember him and his son Daniel, 
who many years owned and occupied that house; both 
highly respected men. Daniel T., the only child of Dan- 
iel, succeeded to the ownership of that house, and resides 
there. He is the owner of some 500 acres of land, and 
is an honored member of the democratic party, to which 
party, if I mistake not, Zenas and Daniel belonged. The 
present Mr. Dyer and his estimable wife, to whom I have 
already referred, are royal entertainers. Numerically, 
and in winsome manners, their children would delight the 
heart of President Roosevelt, and they help to make up 
a very happy family. Mr. Dyer's exhibition at the cen- 
tennial of his grandfather's old tin lantern, which was a 
guide to travelers seeking a good inn to tarry at,, attracted 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES or 

much attention. I wish there were space in my already 
over-full paper to speak of the other antique articles ex- 
hibited. Permit me, however, to speak of " Uncle Sim's " 
post-office, a little desk. He was long the mail carrier and 
postmaster at the Center, and the contents of that recep- 
tacle were often, particularly during the Civil War, 
anxiously awaited by the people in that district. That 
good man, Simeon Mills, like his brother, Ephraim, was 
universally respected, none more so. His compensation 
was but a pittance, his reward being mainly the conscious- 
ness of a loving sei'vice rendered the people. 

The last of the aged Canton men of whom I would 
speak is Peter Ackert, half brother of Edward Ackert. 
He is still living, at the age of 85 years, and now resides 
in Southington. That honest-hearted man believed in, 
and practiced rigorous economy and plain, simple habits, 
devoid of every manner of ostentation. While resident in 
Canton he always inveighed against the extravagance of 
the times, and sighed for life on the frontier, where one 
would not have " all this pride to support." Imagine the 
amused amazement of his old acquaintances when he 
appeared at the celebration, riding in an automobile. One 
knowing his former antipathy to show of any kind would 
not have suspected that he would even accept the treat of 
a ride in such a vehicle. He was a much respected man. 

Canton has not always had peace in its entire borders. 
Some sixty vears ago action was taken for building a new 
schoolhouse in the Center district, and a proposition was 
made for a slight change in location. The rankest bitter- 
ness was engendered over the matter, resulting, after a 
sharp strife, in a division of the district into the North 
Center and South Center. There was sufficient area for 
two districts, perhaps, but the number of children and 
families did not seem to call for it. Nothing, save anti- 
slavery agitation in ante-bellum days, ever produced so 
much alienation of feeling among the good people of that 



36 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



part of the town, extending in its baneful effect to mem- 
bers of the same church, and to near relatives. As a 
youth I viewed the battle from the north side of the 
dividing line. What intensified the feeling in that section 
was the fact that a very prominent church member resid- 
ing there, sided with the southerners in bringing about 
the division. Of course he acted for what he deemed the 
best interests of all concerned. As the affair is looked 
back upon, the feeling gotten up between rational people 
seems unaccountable and almost ridiculous. The moral 
of the affair for country folk is, if you can possibly avoid 
it, don't propose to change the location of your, school- 
house, or church. 

As might be imagined, my visit to my native town was 
attended with some saddening thoughts. First was the 
sight of that schoolhouse at North Canton, where fifty- 
four years ago, I had passed a pleasant term of school, 
as teacher of a delightful company of grown-up boys and 
girls, my affection for whom was akin to that of a parent. 
That house, so many years ago occupied for school pur- 
poses, is now abandoned, windowless> and going to decay. 
I wish it might be restored and put to some educational 
or social use. I would be glad to join with some of my 
good friends In North Canton and elsewhere, who, like 
myself, spent happy school days there, in the expense of 
such a restoration. The probably equally aged " con- 
ference house " at the center presents a pleasing contrast. 
The latter, in external appearance. Is little changed, be- 
yond the substitution of large windows, addition of a 
basement and a coat of paint. That house Is dear to me. 
There I attended upper grade schools, there I cast my 
first vote, and there spent two happy winters, honored as 
the teacher of a quarter of a hundred and more young 
ladies and gentlemen as scholars. Mr. Sears, In his his- 
torical address at the celebration, kindly spoke of that 
school as having more than a local reputation. The 




/i^^'it^/Cfi^n^&i^, 




38 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



me to copy the letter and also to print her photograph 
in this little book, for which courtesy I feel greatly obliged 
to her. 

S. B. 

"Hon. Sylvester Barbour, Hartford: 

"Dear Sir: I have read with much interest your 
recent communication to The Hartford Times, and I 
wish to give myself the pleasure of saying to you, that I 
greatly enjoyed the reminiscences, and the historic char- 
acter of the paper as a whole. Your pleasant reference 
to the D. A. R., and to my friend, Mrs. Dyer, are appre- 
ciated, and I thank you for them.. It is such articles as 
yours that make files of good newspapers of great value. 
A hundred or two years hence, someone will pick up The 
Hartford Times and read that article of yours; then he 
(or she) will say, ' Well, I'm mighty glad to see that: it 
tells me just what I wanted to know about Canton, about 
D. A. R., and ever so many other things.' 

" Next week Thursday, the Connecticut D. A. R. are 
to hold a meeting in Center Church. The gallery will 
be open to friends of the organization. I hope we may 
see you there. 

" Believe me, ver\' truly yours, 

" SARA T. KINNEY. 

" 46 Park St., 
" New Haven, 

" 24 Oct., 1906." 



L Hartford Times, Aug. 15, 1907. 



EIGHTY YEARS OLD. 



Judge Barbour's Tribute to the Hon. Rollin 
Orestes Humphrey of Canton. 



To the Editor of The Times : 

It is pleasant, and fitting, too, to talce note of the 
birthdays of those whom we respect, and especially so, 
when such persons are our seniors, about whom we have 
always known. I can't remember the time when I did 
not know of my fellow-townsman, the Hon. Rollin Orestes 
Humphrey, of Canton, and I think that most persons 
liv^ing, who were born or have resided in or near that 
town, can say the same as to their recollection. He has 
always resided in that town, and was born there, August 
16, 1827, and, therefore, in common understanding, he 
will be 80 years old to-morrow, the i6th, though, in law, 
he has attained that age today, the 15th. This proposi- 
tion will surprise many, yet it is true. A familiar appli- 
cation of that principle in estimating ages occasionally 
occurs in case of a man admitted as a voter the day before 
he nominally becomes 21. As on that immediately pre- 
ceding day such man completes his minority, and, as, for 
most purposes, the law knows no fraction of a day, at 
the beginning of that preceding day, eo instanti, that in- 
stant, the minority of the man is considered completed. 
Accordingly, at the first tick of the clock after midnight 
this morning Mr. Humphrey became 80. 

As he was considered so much a part of Canton on 
the centennial occasion, his. picture appeared prominently 
in print. As he is so generally known in all this region, 
in and outside of Canton, I think many of your readers 



40 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

will be Interested in learning that he has rounded out four 
score years, and is still in a good state of health. Though 
much retired, his long familiarity with legal matters 
makes him very useful in such legal business as he can 
perform as well as a lawyer, and his services are much 
in demand. His official honors in that town have been 
many, including representing it in the general assembly, 
and frequent jury service in all the courts. Presumably 
he cast his first presidential vote for General Zachary 
Taylor, in 1848, as he then became of an age to vote, 
and was an ardent whig, though latterly a democrat. 

By his marriage to Henrietta, the only daughter of 
my uncle Harvey Barbour, he became my first cousin, and 
by his subsequent marriage to Caroline Emma, only 
daughter of the Hon. Ephraim Mills, of Canton, he be- 
came my third cousin. Genealogists figure out a blood 
relationship between us, also. Among my precious memo- 
ries of school-teaching days, is that of having had the 
last named lady as an adult pupil in a select school in the 
" Conference house," at Canton center, more than 50 
years ago, and among my mementos of that school are 
the scholars' essays, copied by them for my preservation. 
Two of this pupil's come to my mind, the subject of one, 
expressed in Latin, in which language she was proficient, 
" Vera Amicitia Semplterna Est," true friendship is ever- 
lasting; the theme of the other, a beautiful poem written 
near the close of the term, being the school, of which she 
was a member. This subject gave her an opportunity 
to refer to her teacher, and to those twenty-six excep- 
tionally exemplary, diligent scholars, parting from whom 
and among whom, at the close of school was painful to 
teacher and scholars. 

Barring lameness, Mrs. Humphrey is quite well, but 
that infirmity very seriously interferes with social enjoy- 
ments, of which she is so capable. People who know her 
gifts and culture can the more deeply sympathize with 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



4t 



her in her enforced retirement. Her very dear njece, 
Mrs. W. E. Simonds, and her first cousin, Mrs. Lydia 
Griswold Humphrey are still living, with whom she has 
delightful intercourse. 

Of the six children of Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey, two 
survive, a daughter, Alice, whose husband is in the patent 
office at Washington [died May lo, 1908], and Rollin 
O., Jr., in the employ of the Collins Co. They experi- 
enced sore affliction in the death of two young children, 
and a daughter, Emma, so much beloved by all who knew 
her, as former wife of M. Stanley Neal, a much honored 
and very highly respected business man in Collinsville, 
and a daughter, Caroline Amelia, who died at the age of 
seventeen, just as she was budding into happy woman- 
hood, and of whom very flattering predictions of literary 
attainment had been made by her teachers. They have 
two grandchildren, Morris Humphrey Neal, aged 20, and 
Kenneth Stanley Neal, in his 17th year, who, in view of 
the over full professions, are wisely fitting themselves for 
business careers, the fonner, already a student in the Wor- 
cester Polytechnic institute, and the latter, just graduated 
from the Collinsville high school, is to enter that college 
the coming autumn. 

It is to be hoped that the occurrence of this birthday 

anniversary may be known among the neighbors and 

friends of this honored couple, so that there may be 

opportunity, by calls, letters and otherwise, to testify the 

respect which is cherished for the pair. None of the 

persons whose names I have mentioned is aware of the 

preparation of this paper. 

S. B. 

Hartford, August 15, 1907. 



[Hartford Times, Dec. 6, iqo6.] 



REMINISCENCES OF CANTON, 

JUDGE SYLVESTER BARBOUR. 



Dedicated to Phcebe Humphrey Chapter, Daugh- 
ters OF THE American Revolution. 



LARGE families THE RULE. 



Rev. Jairus Burt of the Old Center Church — Something 

About the Old Physicians and Lawyers 

of the Town. 



THE EAST WINDSOR SEMINARY. 



To the Editor of The Times: 

When, with some trepidation, a few weeks ago I 
handed you a fifty-year reminiscent article, relating 
mainly to Hartford, I had no thought of venturing to 
offer anything further in that line; but, after your very- 
kind (and I would say, too laudatory) comments on the 
article, and your expression (speaking, of course, in a 
general way) that " it is a pity not to have more of these 
remin,iscences," I felt encouraged to present a second 
article, relating chiefly to the affairs of my native town. 
Canton. As some of my acquaintances, whose judgment 
I respect, and whose candor I would not question, have 
expressed themselves as interested in contributions of 
such a sort, may I tender this further one, which, how- 
ever, you may commit to the waste basket, if, in your 
judgment, it isn't calculated to be of such general interest 
as warrants your giving space for it. If, however, you 
print it, I wish to dedicate it, as I did the second article, 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



43 



to Phoebe Humphrey chapter of the Daughters of the 
American Revolution. The dedication in that case, as in 
this, is pursuant to an invitation of the chapter, signified 
to me by its honored regent, Mrs. Dyer. If the history 
these articles furnish is thought to have any value what- 
ever for the archives of that association, I am pleased 
to comply with the invitation, for the regent and some 
others of the order are natives and residents of Canton, 
and I greatly respect all the members. 

In passing, I would like to express the great pleasure 
I received, as, from the gallery of the Center church of 
Hartford, I looked down upon the grand assembly of 
the D. A. R. at their recent convention, and from the 
addresses delivered, all of which were good. I was espe- 
cially interested in that of Mrs. Cone, as I had well known 
her late husband, J. H. Cone, and her father, John G. 
Mix, and because she is a Hartford woman. Her admi- 
rable address on Lafayette's visit to Hartford, was recited 
from memory in a fluent, modest and very impressive 
manner. And I hope it will not be thought by any of 
that vast company of women invidious, if I single out 
one other lady for honorable mention, namely, Mrs. 
Kinney, state regent. In physiognomy and unassuming, 
winning bearing upon the platform, she pleasantly re- 
minded me of Secretary Taft. I hope, in making this 
comparison, I may offend neither good taste nor the feel- 
ings of that excellent woman, whom I so much respect 
and admire. As I thus looked down upon that scene in 
the church, where more than a half century ago I some- 
times heard the sermons of the then pastor, the Rev. Dr. 
Hawes, whose august presence was enough to inspire awe, 
I thought what a terrific frown would have been upon 
his face if, in his day of occupying that pulpit, such a 
spectacle had been presented to his view. I fancied he 
would have said. " Sisters ! this will never do ! Don't 
you remember what St. Paul said, ' It is a shame for 



44 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



women to speak in the church '? " Well, I don't hold a 
brief, to defend Paul, nor am I out to condemn him. If 
he meant that command for universal application, and 
for all time, I should venture to say that, to that extent, 
I doubt if he was inspired. My admiration of that pow- 
erful logician is such, however, that I would rather believe 
he meant the precept for sole application to the people 
of Corinth, whom he was addressing, where the circum- 
stances made such an injunction proper. 

Perhaps the circumstances were, an adverse, hostile, 
public sentiment, disregard of which might lead to riot. 
If Paul looks down upon us, I doubt if he was shocked 
on seeing his sisters speaking in most of the pulpits in 
Hartford, on the Sunday following that convention, since 
the audiences seemed pleased with, and edified by the 
addresses, the brethren not excepted. 

Reminiscences. 

And, now, to resume my reminiscences, which will 
center very much about Canton. First, I would speak 
about the so-called learned professions, as represented 
there; and, of course, the clergymen should have the pre- 
cedence in mention. The present meeting-house at the 
center, built by the Congregationalists in 1814, is in place 
of one upon the same site, built in 1763. A mournful 
calamity in connection with preparations for building the 
present edifice was the death of a man very prominently 
engaged in these preparations, Mr. Orange Case, killed 
by the falling of a tree, designed for the frame of the 
building. Rev. Jeremiah Hallock, born in 1758, was 
pastor of the church at the time mentioned. He was a 
very devout man, very deliberate and solemnly impressive 
in his manner of speaking. In those days ministers, as a 
means of usefulness, and of eking out a subsistence, took 
young men, to fit them for college. Mr. Hallock did 
this. He also carried on farming to some extent, thereby 




CANTON CENTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, AND "CONFERENCE HOUSE" 

OPPOSITE. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



45 



utilizing the assistance of the students, who could thus 
pay their way, in part. Mr. Hallock died June 23, 1826, 
having been pastor of the church more than 40 years. He 
left a son, William Homan, a man of massive frame and 
kingly dignity. Everybody called him " Squire " Hal- 
lock, and he was very prominent in Canton affairs, was 
an ardent abolitionist, represented the town in the lower 
house of the legislature in 1841, held the office of town 
clerk when in the forties his house and most of the records 
of the town were burned in the night time. [Should be 
1838, as stated in later article on page 64, "Pepper 
on Stove."] He left four children, Jeremiah, Wilham, 
Sarah and Mary, the first named only, a very aged man, 
is living, residing in New Hartford. There are no male 
grandchildren, and this branch of Hallocks will soon be- 
come extinct. Mary left a daughter, the only grandchild. 

Rev. Jairus Burt. 

Mr. Jairus Burt, an uncle of Federal B. Bridgman of 
Hartford [who died February 10, 1908], succeeded Mr. 
Hallock in 1826, and continued pastor till his death in 
1857. He was an able preacher, influential in the councils 
of his denomination, an ardent abolitionist, fearlessly 
denouncing the evil of slavery. Actuated by patriotic 
motives, a large portion of his congregation did not sym- 
pathize with him in the agitation of the slavery question, 
and the trials he passed through In consequence were very 
great. Nothing but a sense of duty could have kept him 
from resigning his charge. 

In those days ministers' salaries in the country were 
very small, but they were considerably supplemented by 
occasional donations of provisions, and by an annual dona- 
tion party in the winter, when the farmers would appear 
with their loads of wood, affording fuel for the year, and 
with divers articles for family use, and the good women 
would appear, to cultivate acquaintance with each other 



46 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



and the pastor and his wife. The occasions were so happy 
that they were looked forward to with pleasure. Now and 
then, of course, the minister would receive a wedding fee, 
to hand over to the wife for her pin money (as I have 
heard was the custom), though, considering the ability 
of the newly-wedded pair, the fees were, presumably, 
sometimes small. I knew one instance in which it was 25 
cents. I doubt not the pay was sometimes an article other 
than money, and just as useful. Mr. Burt passed through 
a very sore family trial a few years before his death. His 
only child, Jairus, died in his early manhood. It was 
known in the parish that Jairus was seriously sick in Suf- 
field, where he had been clerking, and that his father was 
at his bedside during the week. Mr. Burt returned home 
late Saturday evening; and when, on Sunday morning, he 
appeared in his pulpit, a load was taken from the hearts 
of his congregation, as they inferred the young man was 
better. Mr. Burt had not been able to procure a supply 
for his pulpit, and he conducted the services in the usual 
manner, and at the close he announced that Jairus was 
dead. This remarkable instance of calm self-control 
under afflictive circumstances Avas equaled about the same 
time, in the case of another very good man in that parish. 
When the congregation met at the church on a Sunday 
morning it was learned that Norman Case's daughter, 
Fanny, the first wife of John Brown, had died during 
the night previous, and that Mr. Case, who sometimes 
made coffins, was at his shop making one for the daughter. 
Mr. Burt preached a powerful sermon on the last Sunday 
of his life, during that terribly cold month of January, 
1857. The text was: "Who can stand before His cold? " 
He went to his home from that service, performed a mar- 
riage ceremony at his house in the evening, was soon after 
taken with a chill, severe coughing, hemorrhage, became 
unconscious on Tuesday, and died on Thursday, January 
1 5) 1857. Quite naturally some would think he had a 





REV. JAIRUS BURT 
Pastor Canton Center Cong-. Church, 1826—1857 



REV. CHARLES B. McLEAX 
Pastor Collinsville Cong. Church, 1843— iS 





DR. BEN ADAM KASSON 
Born Dec. 6, 1807, Died Dec. 21, 18 



ROLLIN DWIGHT LANE 
Born Apr. 8, 1834. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES aj 

premonition of his early death when he prepared and 
preached that sermon. However that may have been, it 
is to be said his aptitude for selecting suitable texts and 
subjects for his sermons was remarkable. Among the 
instances of this character, I remember, was his sermon 
at the funeral of Daniel Merrill on the text: "What! 
Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we 
not receive evil?" In the affliction of the family, the 
preacher would have them remember their great bless- 
ings. Among its blessings to be remembered was the pos- 
session of fine, promising children — four daughters and 
a son. This son, Selah, later became an able clergyman, 
is now, and for years has been, stationed at Jerusalem 
under a government appointment, made upon the recom- 
mendation of Senator Hawley, whose father had married 
Mr. Merrill's widow. [Rev. Selah Merrill, D.D., 
LL.D., has been since transferred from the consulate at 
Jerusalem to that, at Georgetown, Guiana. While at 
Jerusalem he did much in archaeological research, and 
discovered the Second Wall, outside of which Christ is 
said to have been crucified.] 

A fall of snow of great depth just before Mr. Burt's 
funeral made it almost impossible to reach the church and 
graveyard, a few rods distant from the house. Mr. Burt's 
very dear friend, the Ktv. Charles B. McLean (Governor 
McLean's uncle), pastor of the Congregational church 
in Collinsville, preached the sermon. He was a preacher 
of great ability, and one of the most benignant in spirit I 
ever knew. I many times heard his father, the Rev. 
Allen McLean, of Simsbur}', preach after he became 
blind, in exchange with Mr. Burt. In giving out the 
hymns they were read from the tablets of his memory, 
and in like manner were recited passages of Scripture. 
His discourses were delivered in a very impressive man- 
ner. I vividly recall one, on the text: "Within three 
days ye shall pass over Jordan," a sermon on preparation 



48 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



for death. The sudden death the next day of my father's 
distant relative and near neighbor, an aged man, Mr. 
Levi Barber, familiarly known as " Uncle " Levi, brought 
to the minds of some who had heard that sermon, Mr. 
Barber's apparently very thoughtful attention to the ser- 
mon, as though it was a personal address to him. Mr. 
Barber was not a church. member, but was a very constant 
attendant at church, a very exemplary man in his life, and 
was, I doubt not, " an Israelite indeed, in whom was no 
guile." [Mr. Barber's death is further referred to on 
next page, under the head of " Physicians.] There have 
been several successors to Mr. Burt in the Center church, 
the present one being the Rev. J. W. Moulton. He and 
his cultured, gifted wife are doing a good work there. 
If sudden emergency requires it she can go into her hus- 
band's pulpit and conduct the service, a happy condition 
of things for pastor and people, in this day, when the 
fear of St. Paul's adverse declaration is less prevalent 
than formerly. 

Canton has been extraordinarily honored in the cler- 
gymen with whom properly it may be credited. The Rev. 
Heman Humphrey, D.D., long-time president of Amherst 
college, was born there, near where the venerable octo- 
genarian, Levi Case, resides. [Levi Case was born Janu- 
ary 4, 1822, and died October 21, 1907.] Including Dr. 
Humphrey's three sons, his son-in-law, his brother (the 
Rev. Luther Humphrey), and Humphrey descendants in 
the Barber and Barbour lines, there have been fourteen 
most respectable clergymen in the family. 

The Old Church. 
The pleasure of an occasional visit to my home .church 
has mingled with it much sadness. The pews are there 
as they were three score years ago, but only a very few 
of the former occupants are there, and church attendance 
is comparatively small. Then, those pews, and the large 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES aq 

galleries on the three sides of the church (which have 
since been removed), were well filled. The large choir 
in the gallery facing the pulpit was led instrumentally 
by William E. Brown, on the bass viol, Warren C. Hum- 
phrey on the violin, and General Jarvis Case on the flute, 
an accompaniment to church singing I never have seen 
anywhere else. The congregation, apparently not to seem 
impolite in standing with their backs to the choir, stood 
during singing, facing it, that is, all but a very few men, 
who stood in prayer time. In that day Canton had many 
staunch laymen, active in helping to maintain church 
services, Sunday and week days. They loom up in my 
memory very pleasantly. Among them were those long- 
time deacons, Lancel Foot and Uriah Hosford, Dr. 
Chauncey G. Griswold, Elijah Whiting, Warren C. Hum- 
phrey and Averitt Wilcox. The last named, a very able 
man in speech, was at the head of a line of five genera- 
tions whom I have known, Imri Wilcox of Hartford 
being midway in the line. 

Physicians. 

Next I will speak of the physicians. Sixty years ago 
there were only three local ones in Canton, Dr. O. B. 
Freeman, Dr. R. H. Tiffany (sometime subsequently a 
resident practitioner in Hartford), and Dr. Ben Adam 
Kasson. The first named was a man of kindly manner, 
rare gentility, much esteemed by many as a physician, and 
very deliberate in action. I had a memorable illustration 
of the last named characteristic in my very early boyhood. 
On the occasion of the death of " Uncle " Levi, his son- 
in-law, Horace Gridley, came hurriedly to my father's 
place, and asked that I be at once dispatched to Collins- 
ville for a doctor, as Mr. Barber had been " taken with 
a fit." I immediately mounted a horse, not stopping for 
saddle or blanket, and rushed for Collinsville, a distance 
of six miles. I feel sure King Jehu himself never trav- 

4 



-O BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

eled more swiftly, though he Is said on one occasion to 
have ridden " furiously." People all along the way gazed 
in wonderment and fear. The first doctor I found was 
Dr. Freeman, and he would go. As I was the worse for 
my furious ride, I asked him if I could ride back with 
him and lead my horse behind. " O, yes, my little man, 
come right in, and wait for me." And oh! what a wait! 
I thought the stricken man would die before we could 
reach him. I don't know that the doctor waited to shave 
himself, but there was time enough for it before we got 
started, and then, what distress I was in because the 
doctor didn't whip up his horse with all his might, and 
not stop on the way to tell all inquiring people what was 
the cause of such a hurried call ! Well, the good doctor 
knew more about " fits " than I did, and reasoned it out, 
I suppose, that the man was probably dead from the first 
attack, as turned out to be the case. Dr. Freeman was a 
republican, and represented the town In the house In 1862, 
with gre^at dignity. 

Dr. Tiffany was stately in bearing, and, by polite, 
gentle manners and a wise look impressed his patients 
and their friends favorably. He had a drug store in 
Collinsville, and I remember the honor he conferred upon 
me in my youth, by an invitation to become his clerk and 
study for the profession. But the life of the physician, 
with no time, day or night, he can call his own, didn't 
appeal to me. In those days country doctors had to hold 
themselves ready for any service, from extracting a tooth 
to amputating a limb ; always carrying forceps, and some- 
times a torturing instrument, called a turnkey, which was 
operated very much as a derrick is for extracting rocks 
from the earth. I remember how, on one occasion in my 
youth, when I was suffering from toothache, I chanced to 
meet Dr. Tiffany on the street and asked him if he could 
relieve me. Of course he could, for he was equipped for 
it, and we repaired to a nearby shed, and out came three 



BARBOURS REMINISCENCES 



51 



teeth, as it was difficult to tell which was the offending 
member. It was a senseless transaction on my part, but 
tooth-pulling was quicker relief than filling, and scarcely 
more painful in those days, when dentists didn't use co- 
caine to enable one to sleep while the dentist did his work. 
I knew all about the filling business, for I had spent hours 
of suffering in the hands of Dr. Curtis of Collinsville, 
who, however, I could testify, was as honest, competent 
and thorough a workman in his line as I ever knew. In 
one respect the doctors of that day had an advantage over 
those of this day, for I think pneumonia and appendicitis 
hadn't then been invented; if they had, I didn't happen 
to hear of it. 

I have always had reason to remember Dr. Kasson 
gratefully. He was my father's family physician, and I 
therefore assume I am indebted to him for my introduc- 
tion to the world. I trust he has long since forgiven me, 
if, as is probable, there was on my part a manifestation 
of ingratitude rather than gratitude for the introduction. 
He carried my mother through many sicknesses, more 
than one of them of several weeks' duration, when her 
life for days hung in the balance. He was self-reliant, 
heroic in his treatment of disease, rarely, if ever, himself 
proposing counsel, was understood to have a high opinion 
of calomel as a remedy, though I knew from a little ex- 
perience and much observation that his little paper packets 
of Dover powders, so soothing in effect, were much in 
evidence in the sick room. He was moderate in his 
charges, never, in his early practice at least, more than 
75 cents for the longest drives, never oppressing poor 
people who couldn't easily pay, never accused of repeating 
visits to swell his bill, quick to detect and expose imaginary 
sickness, in which latter cases he prescribed exercise in- 
stead of medicines, in doing which he would, of course, 
sometimes give offense. He was sober and stern in visage, 
brusque in manner, tall and erect in his bearing; and. 



ij2 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

with his neck elongated by his high stock, did in that 
respect somewhat resemble Micawber, as Dickens pic- 
tures him. His mode of travel was unique and attracted 
much attention. His vehicle was a high-up gig or sulky, 
often the worse for age and wear; While making calls, 
his horse would graze by the roadside, and sometimes 
would stray some distance from the house. As doctors 
are rarely at home at meal time, on the wing most of the 
time, the doctor himself would many times receive per- 
sonal refreshment when making his calls. 

My mother never lost an opportunity to minister to 
him in that respect. He had been her personal savior in 
several sicknesses, and she almost worshiped him. The 
doctor was an ardent whig, fond of talking politics with 
democrats, whom he generally fancied he had worsted In 
the argument — and. If having the last word was proof 
of victory, he was right in his conclusion. Canton grati- 
fied his ambition by sending him to the house In 1846. 
The doctor had sore family trials, beginning with the 
death of a promising young son, whom he so idolized that 
he was inconsolable at his funeral. His house in later 
years was struck by lightning, the bolt entering the bed- 
• room of his two daughters, occupying the same bed, in- 
stantly killing one, but the other escaped. Another afflic- 
tion was the death of his estimable wife, who was a 
daughter of General Ezra Adams and much esteemed in 
the community. 

[The doctor would be proud to know, if he could, 
that he has now a son by a later wife (Benj. B.), a 
doctor practicing In Massachusetts.] 

Lawyers. 

Canton has had few resident lawyers, nev^er more than 
one at a time, I think. Orrin S. Case was located there 
more than fifty years ago, and represented the town in 
the house in 1853. Because there were not many local 

> 



HARBOURS REMINISCENCES r^ 

attorneys, no one should jump to the conckision that Can- 
ton hadn't much litigation. Lawyers from out of town 
often came in to help the contentious enjoy the rich luxury 
of a lawsuit. I recall one occasion, when those distin- 
guished attorneys, Truman Smith and Charles Chapman, 
once came. Delicacy forbids my giving the names of the 
parties to the celebrated suit, or the offense involved. Mr. 
Chapman came at other times, once in defense of a man 
charged with breaking up a session of a large singing 
school at the " conference house " at the center, by put- 
ting pepper upon the stove at recess time. This lawyer, 
as might almost be assumed, as a matter of course, con- 
sidering his general success as a defender in criminal cases, 
cleared the accused, but in a very queer way; another 
person confessed he did the deed. [See further on this 
incident, item, " Pepper on Stove," p. 64.] 

General Jarvis Case. 

Reference, has been made to General Jarvis Case, who 
for many years was very prominent in Canton affairs. He 
was born September 10, 1801, and died March 18, 1864. 
There were some noteworthy incidents (one of them most 
sad) in his life and In that of his family. His estimable 
wife, Lucia, daughter of General Ezra Adams, to whom 
he was married March 26, 1828, died October 11, 1885. 
Their children were Lucia Helen, commonly called by her 
second name, born April 13, 1829, died October 30, 
1845; Mary Jane, born March 15, 1832, died October 
31, 1855; Ann Lucelia, born January 12, 1839, ^'^^ J^^Y 
3, 1903; George Jarvis, born -November 15, 1835, mar- 
ried Sarah Ruth Case, February 20, 1861 ; she died Janu- 
ary 14, 1902; and Ellen Maria, born November 3, 1845, 
twice married, first to Edward E. Woodford, September 
3, 1867, and, secondly, to Clifford S. Thompson, October 
12, 1881. 

In the autumn of 1845, there was a so-called select 
school in the " conference room " at the center, taught 



54 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



by my brother, Henry Stiles, and Helen was a much loved 
member. She went to her home from school one evening, 
in perfect health, was prostrated that night with profuse 
hemorrhages at the nose, and died. When news of her 
death came next morning to the school, a scene, was pre- 
sented never to be forgotten. Teacher and scholars were 
ovei'whelmed with grief. That community has rarely, if 
ever, been more profoundly moved by any event. The 
funeral services took place at the church opposite the 
school room, the Rev. Mr. Spencer of New Hartford 
preached the sermon, in the absence of the pastor, Mr. 
Burt, and many with bowed heads and sympathetic hearts 
followed the dear one to the grave. 

It was my great privilege and honor to teach a similar 
school at that same room, eleven years later, and George 
and Ann were beloved pupils. The school was made up 
of yoiing men and young women of whom any teacher 
might be proud. The disparity in the ages of teacher and 
scholars was so small, that it would not have been strange 
if the imperfections and deficiencies of the teacher should 
have led to manifestations of some disrespect, but, fortu- 
nately, the teacher can recall no such manifestation, and 
he vividly remembers with what tearful eyes he attempted 
to address a few parting words to those much beloved 
scholars at the close of school. There was in that school 
a lady whom it seems proper to mention in this connec- 
tion. Miss Sabra L. Beach, subsequently Mrs. Harvy 
Godard, of Granby. As she and Miss Ann Lucelia, sub- 
sequently the wife of the Hon. Edwin N. White (in the 
house from Canton in 1878), sat together in that school 
room, they little dreamed of the tie that was afterwards 
to be formed between them, by the marriage of the for- 
mer's son, Oren Harvy Godard, of Granby, to the daugh- 
ter of the latter. 

General Case organized a military company called the 
" Canton cadets," was its first captain, and was advanced 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES r^ 

from that to the rank of brigadier-general of the state 
mihtia. He was a man of striking dignity and gentility, 
erect and stately (though of medium stature), such a one 
as would attract the attention of strangers ; was long 
prominent in the choir, taking an interest in its pros- 
perity and improvement, participating in singing schools 
sometimes held in the winter. He was a whig till the 
dissolution of that party, and afterward an ardent demo- 
crat. He began a carefully prepared record of the 
weather in 1857, and it has been continued by his son, 
George J., since his death. That record has been pub- 
lished in. The Times monthly, and has been esteemed for 
its accuracy. 

No Race Suicide. 

The people of Canton have generally been quite 
obedient to the divine command, given to the original 
pair, and inferentially, in the apparent opinion of Presi- 
dent Roosevelt, to all succeeding pairs. Large families 
have been common. The people bearing our name have 
not been remiss in that obedience. The spelling of the 
name in our case, as in the case of some other families, has 
not been uniform; members even of the same immediate 
family sometimes thus varying. Well, the craze in spell- 
ing reform has not yet extended to names of persons, 
hence everybody is at liberty to suit his own taste as to 
spelling his own name. The orthography of our family 
name has been quite variant. In our probate records of 
the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the name is 
found written variously, " Barbur," " Barber," " Barbar," 
and " Barbour " — the latter orthography occurs as often 
as any other, I think. My brother, Heman, led our family 
in the adoption of the last named form, when, in 1840, he 
located in the west, where that form of the name was 
common. In this article, as T mention the name of any 
person, I use his adopted form of spelling. 



;;5 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

Doctor Samuel Barber, of Canton, had fourteen chil- 
dren, eleven sons and three daughters. But, it should be 
mentioned that there were two mothers,, each having 
seven children, the first wife's all boys. Think of eleven 
boys in a family ! There must have been music there, 
'' to beat the band! " 

The family of Daniel Barber was very large and 
highly respected. Only two of the children are now 
living, Daniel Hiram, and Jane Rood, the youngest. 
[Mrs. Rood has since died.] The family of Sadosa Bar- 
ber was large and much. respected. All the children are 
dead, except Hon. Henry M. Barbour, the youngest child, 
who resides in the house where he was born. He was in 
the house in '1880. The daughter, Melissa, mother of 
Rollin D. Lane, of Hartford, long resided in Collinsville 
and was much beloved. 

Family of Alson Barber. 

The family of Alson Barber is the most remarkable 
I have known, and seems to me worthy of special mention. 
He was born May 6, 1792, and died April 5, 1880. He 
was brother to Sadosa (their father, Reuben, being the 
first person buried in the Center cemetery) , and first cousin 
to my father, Henry Barbour. His wife, Hannah Hum- 
phrey (born December 4, 1796, died April 19, 1877), 
was a sister to the Rev. Heman Humphrey, D.D., (spoken 
of on pages 48 and 71), and sister to my mother, thus pro- 
ducing double relationship between the children of the two 
families. John Brown, the martyr, was first cousin to 
these sisters and brother. Alson and Hannah were mar- 
ried November 16, 18 14, and the following named twelve 
children were born to them: Luther Humphrey, Maria, 
Nelson, Harriet, Sarah, Gaylord, John, Jennette, Lemuel, 
Mary, Hannah and Martha. All of these children lived 
to adult years, all were married, and excepting the first 
named, had children of their own. The only ones now 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



57 



living are Luther [Luther died August 17, 1907], Han- 
nah, widow of Howard Rogers of Canton, and Martha, 
wife of Ervin Whiting of Southlngton. All because mem- 
bers of the church In their youth and lived exemplarlly. 
The parents lived together most happily more than 62 
years, and celebrated their golden wedding and the six- 
tieth annl\ersary of their marriage. At the former cele- 
bration eleven of their twelve children were present, and 
at the latter nine were present. Thirty-five grandchildren 
were living at the time of the former celebration, and all 
the children were living at the sixty-second anniversary 
of the parents' marriage. Luther was born September 3, 
1815, graduated from Amherst college In class of 1839, 
and from the East Windsor Hill Theological seminary 
(succeeded now by the Hartford Theological seminary), 
in class of 1842. He is the last surviving member of his 
college class, which at the time of graduation numbered 
fifty-seven; and only one earlier graduate of that college is 
living, namely, the Rev. John H. Wells of Kingston, 
R. L, who was In the class of 1837. The Rev. Henry 
^L Field of the class of 1841 Is the only earlier living 
graduate of said seminary [since died]. 

jVIr. Barber has the distinction of being the oldest 
Congregational minister now living in Connecticut. His 
active ministry was continuous, extending over a period 
of fifty years, during which he had pastorates In Hitch- 
cockville (now Riverton), Scotland, Hanover, Bolton 
and Vernon Center. He was married, August 23, 1842, 
to Miss Lucinda Taylor, of Canton, and they lived to- 
gether most happily nearly fifty-four years, her death 
occurring April 20, 1896. She was a woman of many 
gifts, and one of the most lovable I ever knew, a true help- 
meet to her husband in the highest sense of the word. 
She finished her education at South Hadley seminary, 
class of 1841, of which she was a member two years, 
while Miss Mary Lyon, the founder, was principal. Mr. 



5^' 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



Barber Is now living with his nephew, Rev. Clarence H. 
Barber, In Danielson. His mind is clear, memory and 
hearing good, general health quite good, though he is 
nearly blind and much bowed in form, and unable tO' get 
about much without assistance. He attended church on 
the occasion of " Old People's " day, pronounced the 
benediction, his voice being easily heard by all present. 
Mr. and Mrs. Barber had an adopted child, Ella, who 
was to them all that she could have been had she been 
their own child. She tenderly cared for him after the 
death of his wife, until she died, November 29, 1904. 

Mr. Barber was a very practical preacher, Is a man 
of saintly character and he greatly endeared himself to 
the people in all the parishes where he ministered. He 
retains a deep interest in all the affairs of church and 
state and Is an exceedingly agreeable conversationalist. 

The second daughter, Harriet, married iVmos Grid- 
ley, who was one of the fortynlners, who went to Cali- 
fornia in search of gold. He remained there a few years, 
and returned to his family, having been successful In his 
pursuit. 

Gaylord, the third son (born October 16, 1824, died 
May 21, 1879), was the first of the children to die, Mar- 
tha, the youngest child, being then 42 years old, she 
having been born April 23, 1837. tie was first married. 
May 8, 1850, to Catharine Hayden, of Barkhamsted, 
and, secondly, on November 22, 1868, to Miss Jerusha 
Taylor, a niece of Luther's wife. By the first marriage 
there were five children, all of whom survived their 
father. The eldest daughter is the wife of Sherman E. 
Brown of Collinsville, and the youngest daughter, Cath- 
arine H., was for twelve years a missionary of the Ameri- 
can Board at San Sebastian, Spain, engaged as a teacher 
in a school there. At the outbreak of the war with the 
United States, the school was hastily transferred over the 
line into France, where the work of the school was con- 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



59 



tinued, and at the close of the war, the school returned to 
Spain, though Miss Barber's health failed while the 
school was in France, and she returned home, and died, 
September 5, 1901. The second daughter is also dead. 
The two sons of Gaylord are I^ev. Clarence Howard 
Barber, and Allison H. Barbour, the latter being, for a 
time, a few years since, a successful teacher in Professor 
Huntsinger's business college in Hartford, and since that 
time in St. Johnsbury, Vt., and is professor, having charge 
of the commercial department in the academy there. Rev. 
Clarence graduated at Amherst college, class of 1877 
and from the Hartford Theological seminary in class of 
1880. In college he won prizes in debate, and in athletics. 
His first settlement as pastor was at Torringford, his 
second at Manchester, where he remained more than eight- 
een years, when he resigned to accept a call from the 
Westfield Congregational church in Danielson, where he 
now is. In 1885, during his pastorate in Torringford, 
he was one of the representatives from Torrington in the 
house, and served on the committee on education. 

In 1899 he was chaplain of the house, in 1901 chap- 
lain of the senate. He was married September 29, 1880, 
to Miss Mary Johnson, of Morris. They have- three 
sons, Edward, Yale, '05, is a teacher in the Peekskill Mili- 
tary academy; Laurence, Yale, class '10; and Harold, a 
student in Danielson high school. Mr. Barber is modest 
and dignified in bearing; attaches to himself wann friends 
among the people; active in what concerns good citizen- 
ship; tactful, sympathetic and helpful in pastoral work; 
sound in doctrine and judgment; undemonstrative yet 
pleasing in delivery, having such facility in substantially 
memorizing his carefully prepared sermons as to be able 
to discard his manuscript, and thus to have that freedom 
which apparently extemporaneous, eye-to-eye expression 
affords. It is safe to predict for him continued growth 
and advancement in his chosen work. His stepmother is 



5o BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

happily making her home in his family. Mary, the fifth 
daughter of Alson, died several years since, leaving chil- 
dren, one of whom a talented woman, Mrs. Jennette Lee, 
is a professor in Smith college, having a husband resid- 
ing in Northampton. A member of my family in the 
faculty of that institution informs me, that Mrs. Lee is 
deservedly very, popular with the students, and is very 
successful as a teacher. A pleasing story from her pen 
occasionally appears in some periodical. 

East Windsor Seminary, 

In closing, a word about East Windsor seminary 
building, where Mr. Luther Barber was educated for the 
ministry. On this day of increased interest in ancient 
buildings, permit me, please, to suggest how fitting it 
would be to have steps taken for the preservation of these 
buildings. They are right on the trolley line, and, there- 
fore, very accessible. What a boon some one or more 
persons could confer on deserving people by purchasing 
the property, and the conversion of the buildings for 
some charitable purpose, for instance, a home for the 
widows of poor clergymen. Judge Stoughton, who lives 
near by, and has long been familiar with the premises, 
says the seminary proper, and the chapel, are changed 
very little from their original condition. They are said 
to belong to Nannie S. Verner, are unoccupied, and pre- 
sumably for sale. 

S. B. 
Hartford, December i, 1906. 



[Editorial HARTFORD TIMES, Dec. 6, igo^.] 

Another of Judge Sylvester Barbour's excellent chap- 
ters of local reminiscences is printed on page 3 of this 
issue. It deals with Canton, and is worth reading. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 6 1 

NOTE. 

(Data concerninii the family of Alson Barber, supplementary to 
the foregoing letter.) 

Marriages of His Children. 

(Phoebe) Maria to James H. Coe, May lO, 1846. 

Nelson L. ist, to Zilpah Case (sister of Uriah), September 
12, 1846; do., 2d, to Julia Smith, Januan^ i, 1868. 

Harriet (E.) to Amos Gridley, September 16, 1840. 

Sarah E. to Lucius Foote, May i, 1844. 

John, 1st, to Maria Mills, April 4, 1849: 2d, to Susan Vin- 
ton, June 14, 1869. 

Jennette to James T. AUyn, November 27, 1851. 

Lemuel to Susan E. Case, November 23, 1854. 

Mary to P. Franklin Perrj', April 19, 1854. 

Hannah to Howard Rogers, December 6, 1865. 

Martha J. to Solomon Ervin Whiting, January 29, 1861. 

Children of IVLaria. 
George, Cornelia, Willie, Charles. , 

Children of Nelson. 
Edda J., Delia, John. 

Children of Harriet. 
Lucelia E., Kate AL 

Child of Sarah. 
Ellen E. 

Children of Gaylord. 
Florence L, Clarence H., Adelaide, Catharine, Allison. 

Children of John. 
(First Wife.) 
John M., Nellie, Carrie. 

(Second Wife.) 
Jennie, Mary, Herbert. 

Children of Jennette. 
Laura H., Herbert, Ethan. 

Children of Lemuel. 
Lucy A., Cora H. 



62 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

Children of Mary. 
Alice M., Kate, Jennette B., Grace. Florence. 

Children of Hannah. 
Stanley H., Ervin. 

Children of Martha. 
Carrie M., Josephine B., Lizzie M. 

DEATHS. 

Luther H., August 17, 1907. 

Phebe Maria, February g, 1892. 

Nelson L., January 5, 1885. 

Harriet, June 24, 1898. 

Sarah, August 30, 1883. 

Gaylord, May 21, 1879. 

John, April 10, 1894. 

Jennette, January 19, 1905. 

Mary, May 14, 1895. 

Lemuel, Februarys 13, 1892. 

Lucius Foote, April 23, i860. 

Zilpah, February 28, 1866. 

Maria Mills, first wife of John, September 22, 1867. 

James H. Coe, April 23, 1890. 

Howard Rogers, February 12, 1894. 

Amos Gridley, February 24, 1901. 

Solomon Ervin Whiting, January 16, 1908. 

S. B. 



[The Hartford Daily Times, Saturday, March g, 1907.] 



CANTON REMINISCENCES; 

TOLD BY JUDGE BARBOUR. 



Fourth in the Series of Interesting Articles on 
Country Life of Long Ago. 



ABOUT THE HUMPHREY FAMILY. 



To the Editor of The Times: 

If you and your readers are not wearied with Canton 
reminiscences, may I add this further chapter? I wish 
to say, I fully appreciate the great honor you have con- 
ferred upon me, permitting me to speak to 90,000 readers 
of a paper so widely circulated and so highly esteemed 
as The Hartford Times. You give your average daily 
circulation as over 19,000, each copy of which I assume 
may be read by an average of five persons, at least. I 
realize, too, that to make articles concerning local matters 
generally readable, to some extent they must be of general 
interest. 

In area, Canton is a small town, abounding in rocks 
and hills, yet, in its time it has produced many very 
staunch and upright men and noble women, some of whom 
have distinguished themselves in the learned professions, 
in this and other states; and, being the seat of an exten- 
sive manufacturing industry, so well managed and pros- 
perous that its stock is gradually soaring to the $200 
mark, a concern furnishing implements of great variety, 
always, true to representation, and of world-wide use, I 
think I hazard nothing when I say the town has a good 
reputation. 

In giving dates of events, I am careful to verify them. 



6-4 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



well knowing that otherwise they are valueless; and, In 
mentioning occurrences and relating anecdotes, to state 
nothing that is not personally known to myself, or coming 
to me well attested, manufacturing nothing for embellish- 
ment. In that way, I hope I am contributing in some 
small degree to the enjoyment of present readers, and to 
the help of posterity in historical matters. 

Pepper on the Stove. 

My allusion in my last article to the disturbance of 
the singing school at the center, by the putting of pepper 
on the stove at recess time, must have raised the query in 
some minds, what led to that act, and what happened to 
the person who came forward at the time of the trial of 
the accused person, defended by Charles Chapman, and 
confessed the deed? There had been a division of senti- 
ment as to who should be the teacher, Mr. Charles Foote 
or Warren C. Humphrey, both Canton men and capable 
te.achers, each having many friends, the contest being 
quite sharp, Mr. Foote being chosen. The confessing 
person was evidently of the Humphrey party, who had 
been outvoted. Mr. Chapman had been let into the secret 
as to the facts, and, presumably on his direction, the guilty 
one went beforehand before a justice of the peace, plead 
guilty and was fined one dollar. As the accused man was 
acquitted, it should no^ seem improper to mention his 
name (Mr. Thorpe), but I forbear to give the name of 
the confessing party. He is still living, a respectable 
citizen, and so far as I have ever heard, has never been 
charged with any other misdoing. For a long time he 
had an unpleasant prefix to his name. 

I spoke in the late article of the burning in the night 
time of the " Squire " Hallock dwelling-house and many 
of the records of the town, of which he was clerk, as 
having occurred in the 40's. It' was, however, in Febru- 
ary, 1838. I remember the event well, and hearing at 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENXES 



6S 



the time, that in efforts made to get some of the effects 
out, a simple-minded man carried out an armful of fire 
wood. Austin N." Humphrey happened that night to be 
on the way from the north part of the town, where was 
a powder manufactory, carrying a load of kegs of powder, 
and, as he was anxious to reach his destination before day- 
light, it not being considered prudent to transport powder 
in the daytime, when the people might be on the street, 
he risked the safety of his load by cov^ering it with wet 
blankets, and passed the burning building unhaiTned. On 
the 4th day of July of that year, while some young men 
were preparing to celebrate, by firing an extemporized 
cannon at North Canton, a keg of powder exploded, 
fatally injuring Chauncey Moses's son, Harry, who died 
the next day, and others of the company were severely 
burned. Not long afterward, the manufacture of powder 
at that place was given up, the buildings taken down, 
some of the materials of which wer.e carried to CoHins- 
ville and used in constructing dwelling-houses. 

Old Custom. 

In the early days of which I speak, and until recently, 
it was the custom to ring and toll the church bell for 
deaths, first, a short ring, then, pausing a moment, to give 
information to the community as to whom it might prob- 
ably be, nine strokes for a man, seven for a woman, five 
for a male child, and three for a female child were given. 
Personally I never knew the ceremony to occur in the 
evening, but am informed that it did a few years since, 
when Howard Foote's first wife died, adding greatly to 
the mournfulness of the occasion. At the time of a 
funeral, the bell was tolled from the time the head of the 
procession could be seen from the church until the audi- 
ence was seated in church (most funeral services were in 
the church, with sermon) ; and then, in passing from the 



66 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

church to the graveyard near by, and until the burial was 
completed. I vividly remember how we would pause in 
our farm work, when we heard the bell strike, first, to 
learn whether the dead one was an adult or child, then 
count the strokes for the age, then speculate as to who 
probably was the dead person. In the tolling of the bell 
there was a solemnity connected with death and funerals, 
befitting the occasion. I suppose there are people who 
are glad that custom has ceased, but I am not. It seems 
to me we cannot too often be impressively reminded of 
our own mortality. In the procession to the church, and 
in that from the church to the cemetery, when burial was 
not in that near-by, the horses were driven always in a 
walk. 

The modern way, sometimes practiced, of trotting the 
horses in funeral processions, seems to me like an effort 
to get through with an unpleasant duty as quickly as 
possible, and quite unbecoming on so solemn an occasion. 
In those days neighbors were called in, usually In pairs, 
to " watch " with the dead at night, for hourly applica- 
tion of a saturated cloth to the face to preserve the 
features, a gruesome ceremony I went through with once 
In my youth. In the case of a much emaciated aged man, 
my associate, younger than myself, and less Impressed 
than myself with the awful silence of the dead, made 
more so by the profound stillness of night in the country, 
performing the duty put upon us, while I held the candle 
at arm's length, and with averted look. I doubt if I am 
alone in this feeling of dread. It extends to the lower 
animals. If any one doubts this, let him try to drive a 
horse by a dead one, lying by the roadside; let him drive 
a herd of cattle over a spot where an animal has been 
killed, the only evidence of which killing is the blood 
remaining on the ground, the very sight and smell of 
which sets the herd bellowing in distress, and otherwise 
manifesting that distress. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



67 



In the early days of the last century stoves had not 
come Into much use, and the mode of heating dwellings 
and doing cooking was by a fire in large fireplaces, con- 
nected with which in the chimney was a large brick, oven 
for much of the baking. The chimneys were much larger 
than those of today, that in the house in which I was born, 
built more than 100 years ago, is nine feet square at the 
base in the cellar, with an immense fireplace and oven 
(both now bricked up, however), on the first floor, and 
an apartment in its side in the attic, for smoking hams. 
Chimneys of similar size were common in those days, some 
of which still remain. Churches were rarely, if ever, 
heated by a fireplace, and not much heated at all, the zeal 
of the worshipers and their interest in the services being 
calculated, I suppose, to make them unmindful of the 
cold atmosphere about them. The women helped out the 
situation somewhat by their heated bricks and their foot 
stoves, often quite ornamental articles, about nine inches 
square, and not quite so deep, made of metal, with per- 
forated sides, a wire bail, a door in front for putting in 
a metal pan, in which was burning charcoal. One effect of 
the poisonous gas, emanating from the charcoal, was to 
produce drowsiness in the worshipers, which would lessen 
their consciousness of the cold air about them. At noon- 
time, to get warm between services (then they had two 
sermons) people repaired to the " conference house " 
across the street, a building some forty feet long, in each 
end of which was ready a huge -fire in a large fireplace. 
About the time of my earliest recollection, however, box 
stoves began to come into use, and two large ones were 
placed in the church, near the front end, with long reaches 
of smokepipe suspended to the side galleries, running to 
the back end of the church, an arrangement common in 
the churches at that time, but very unpleasant for persons 
sitting underneath the pipe because of too much heat for 
their heads, and occasional wet, sooty drippings at the 



68 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

joints, protected, however, sometimes by a saucer-shaped 
metal receptacle suspended by wire under the joints. 

Amusing An-ecdote. 
Speaking of methods of heating, I might add an amus- 
ing anecdote. There was an implement in quite common 
use in families, called a bed-warmer, made of copper or 
other metal, about the size of a common milk pan, with 
a tight-fitting cover and long handle. In preparation for 
retiring, this article was filled with hot ashes, coals, or 
water, and moved about in the bed to warm it. In the 
case referred to, the labors of the wife generally kept 
her up far into the night in the repair of garments that 
had been vacated for the night (an experience, by the 
way, common with my dear mother) , and until her hus- 
band had lapsed into deep sleep, and she had been often 
cautioned by him, to be careful when applying the instru- 
ment to her side of the bed, preparatory to her retiring, 
not to hit him, and seemed so distrustful of her skill in 
the operation, she thought one very cold night to have a 
little fun at his expense, and filled the implement with 
snow, making it as cold as possible, then placed it in such 
a position in the bed as to touch his person, when he 
awoke, sprang up, with the agonizing exclamation, 
" There ! I knew you would scald me some time ! " Pre- 
sumably, after that, he trusted her not to " scald " him. 

The First Matches. 

The introduction of matches, not more than seventy- 
five years ago, relieved families of much trouble as to 
their fires. Before that time, when the weather did not 
require keeping up fires through the night, for warming 
dwellings, by carefully covering the embers with ashes, fire 
could generally be kept for kindling in the morning. If 
this expedient failed, there were different methods for 
starting fire in the morning. Families who had a flint- 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 69 

lock musket, with it could produce a spark, which, com- 
municated to a sprinkling of powder and tow, or other 
very' inflammable substance, would accomplish the desired 
result. Then, there was a punky substance, or tinder, 
which, if ignited at bedtime, might keep the fire all night, 
and a pipe-stem shaped, slow-burning substance could be 
utilized in like manner. But it was not unusual, when a 
family lost its fire during the night, in the morning to go 
to a neighbor's to borrow some. And this leads me to 
speak of the memorable 13th day of November, 1833. 
During the night before, my parents lost their fire, and at 
an early hour in the morning they sent my brother, Henry 
Stiles, then 1 1 years old, to get some fire at a neighbor's, 
a quarter of a mile distant. While on the way, across the 
fields, there came that shower of shooting stars, and he 
returned in deadly fright. 

I cannot better describe that extraordinary scene than 
by copying from the weekly CouRANT of November 18 
this graphic account: " The sky was for hours filled with 
luminous meteors, shooting and falling in every direction, 
crossing each other in their courses, and leaving behind 
them trains of great length and brilliancy. They assumed 
a variety of forms, sometimes darting across the heavens 
like an ordinary shooting star, at others, suddenly making 
their appearance like a ball of fire, then separating, as 
if by an explosion, into a great number of parts, and van- 
ishing like the fragments of a rocket. The exhibition, 
all agree, was grand and splendid beyond description. 
The whole sky was brilliantly illuminated, and the meteors 
so numerous as to resemble a shower of fire. 
The sky, during the whole time of this remarkable exhi- 
bition, was bright and without a cloud." In Volume 16 
of Encyclopedia Britfanica is this: "The air was thick 
with streams of rolling fire; scarcely a space in the firma- 
ment that was not filled at ev^ery instant — almost infinite 
numbers of meteors; they fell like flakes of snow." 



yO BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

A few years afterward, there occurred a thunder 
shower and tornado, very destructive in Canton and else- 
where. Toward night on Saturday, August 9, 185 i, while 
we were at work in the hay field, an angry, billowy cloud 
suddenly appeared above the western horizon, quickly 
enveloping the whole sky, accompanied by furious wind, 
of wide extent, prostrating crops and fences, uprooting 
trees of great size, and doing much damage generally. 
The pathway of the storm in its greatest severity, how- 
ever, was not wide; its intensest force in Canton being 
concentrated at a forest of heavy timber on the western 
slope of a mountain, a few rods south of the residence of 
Deacon Lancel Foote, It mowed a swath, so to speak, 
through that forest, up the mountain, about 100 feet wide, 
breaking down trees of great size, leveling to the ground 
everything before it. A little to the westward, right in 
the line of that gale, Captain Loin Humphrey was at 
work raking hay, when the wind swept him and the hay 
a considerable distance. The next day, Sunday, was a 
busy one for farmers, putting up fences to secure their 
crops from cattle; and, for days, and until prostrate trees 
in highways were removed, travel to a considerable extent 
was through fields adjoining. 

In some localities in the state, lightning and hail did 
much damage during that storm. Edward Ackert, of 
Canton, and another man were fishing in the Farmington 
river, and had to get into it to protect themselves from 
the wind and hailstones. In North Canton the barn of 
Watson Case was struck by lightning, and two steers be- 
longing to Richard Case were killed. In West Hartford 
barns were blown down, some twenty were unroofed, and 
one was moved two or three feet from its foundation. In 
Windsor hundreds of trees were torn up by the roots, 
• some twenty barns unroofed, and one woman was killed, 
by being burled under a falling chimney. The force of 
the gale was sometimes confined to a very narrow limit. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES yi 

In SImsbury, in one cornfield, it was confined to tAvo or 
three rows, sweeping the ground clean of stalks, doing 
little damage to rows bordering thereon. The Times, 
in speaking of the storm, said, " The present season will 
long be remembered on account of the frequency of thun- 
derstorms, and destruction of life and property." There 
was an eclipse of the sun (one-fourth covered) In the 
early morning of July '28, and some people would nat- 
urally connect that, in its effects, with the tornado. 
That's a question for the scientists. 

The Humphrey Family. 

In earlier articles, I have spoken of noteworthy fami- 
lies in Canton. I wish now to speak of those bearing the 
name Humphrey; and, to begin with, I think I may prop- 
erly speak of my mother's brother, the Rev. Heman 
Humphrey, D.D., born in Canton In 1779, in a house 
located near where the venerable Levi Case now lives. 
He died in 1861. His father, Solomon, and other rela- 
tives of the name, were in the Revolutionary war. Solo- 
mon had fifteen children, his first wife two, and his second 
(Hannah Brown, aunt of John Brown, the martyr), 
thirteen, the former and nine of the latter, living to adult 
years. The doctor was president of Amherst college, 
1823-45, while he was rearing and educating his children, 
three of his sons, Edward P., D.D., Zephanlah and John, 
becoming distinguished clergymen, located respectively In 
Danville, Ky., Chicago, and Binghamton, N. Y., and one 
son, James, a prominent lawyer In New York city, and 
for several years a member of congress from New York. 
The latter's wife was Urania Battell, sister of the Hon. 
Robblns Battell, they, and other members of that noted 
family, giving to the Congregational church of Norfolk, 
Battell chapel. John, In college, was called " the Apostle 
John," on account of his gentleness and goodness. The 



72 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

mother of these children was a sister of the Rev. Dr. 
Noah Porter, president of Yale college. 

Deacon Theophilus Humphrey (a son of Samuel, 
who was born in 17 lo), was a resident of West Simsbury, 
now Canton, many years subsequent to 1750. He had 
eleven children, a daughter, Hepzibah, born 1767, who 
married Jesse Barbour; five of his sons, James, born in 
1765, died 1830; Alvin, bom in 1769, died 1847; The- 
ophilus, Jr., born 1776, died 1851 ; Loin, born 1777, died 
1854, and Pliny, born 1780, died 1852; were life-long 
residents of the Canton part of Simsbury, and assisted in 
the setting off of it as a town in 1806, and were prominent 
in public affairs. James was a trying justice of the peace, 
and nine times a representative in the legislature. Le- 
Roy Jones of Collinsville informs me that when he went 
to live in the house sixteen years after James's death, the 
papers then remaining in the house, showing the extent 
of his participation in public affairs, were numerous. Al- 
vin was in the house in 1821. Loin (in the house '24 
and '29), was a man of keen mind and an interesting 
talker. I remember him well; he was a noticeable figure 
on the street, with his long homemade, straight walking 
cane, extending above his hand several inches. His sons 
were men of great intelligence and prominence. Warren 
C. (house '59 and '72), was a pillar in the church, long 
the leader of its choir, was thrice married, first, to a 
daughter of General Ezra Adams, a woman of rare amia- 
bility, secondly, to Mrs. Eliza Ann (Hinman) Moses, 
a very intelligent woman, and thirdly to Albert Bidwell's 
widow, whose maiden name was Pike, a very estimable 
woman, still living in Canton; Loin Harmon (house, 
'56), having four daughters, Sophia, Ellen, widow of 
the Rev. David Strong; Emily, widow of the Rev. Ed- 
ward Bentley; and Fidelia, wife of Major Horatio N. 
Rust, who lately died in California; all of these daughters, 
except Fidelia, are still living [Emily died September 2, 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



73 



1907]; Mrs. Strong having three sons who are clergy- 
men; Austin N. (house, '49), having a son bearing his 
own name and four daughters, the eldest, Jane, being 
the first wife of the late Hon. Jeffery O. Phelps of Sims- 
bury and mother of Jeffery O. Phelps, the present judge 
of probate of Simsbury^ A daughter of the first-named 
Loin was the wife of the late Oliver C. Adams (house, 
'52). The said Pliny's son, Pliny Orestes Humphrey 
(house, '54), was the father of Rollin O. Humphrey 
(house, '57). The last named is still living, as is his 
cultured wife, Caroline Mills, daughter of the late Hon. 
Ephraim Mills of Canton, and he has been prominent in 
town affairs, serving in most of the offices of the town,- 
and, until lately, as juror in our national and state courts, 
much esteemed in that capacity by litigants and lawyers,- 
and not infrequently selected by his associates for their 
foreman. Alvin had a son, Dwight, who, like Zaccheus, 
mentioned in Scripture, was quite diminutive in stature. 
He was sometimes chaffed because of that, and his reply 
usually was, " What I lack in stature, I make up in feel- 
ing," gospel truth, I may say. Not that he was puffed 
up, haughty, conceited, but courageous, energetic, chuck 
full of push. He combined with farming, carpenter work, 
getting out by hand the frames for, and putting up many 
buildings. People of the present day have little concep- 
tion of what it was to erect buildings of the style of those 
common in those days. Now, four or five men can put 
up the so-called balloon-framed buildings, one stick of 
moderate size at a time. Then the timbers were much 
larger, joined together in bents or sections, preparatory 
to being lifted into position, often requiring twenty or 
more men to do the raising and great skill in the master 
of ceremonies, to see that there was no mishap. Mr. 
Humphrey could direct and command with wonderful 
skill and efficiency the neighbors called together to assist 
in the raising. I fancy I can hear his stentorian and in- 



74 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

spiring voice, when commanding his assistants. Boys 
were permitted to attend as witnesses, a treat they greatly 
appreciated, chiefly, however, because of the raisin cake 
served at the close of ceremonies. 

I well remember how we children, in playing in the 
barn of my father, would run across the big beams, a 
dozen feet above the floor, feeling as safe as when walk- 
ing on the ground, because of the great size of those 
timbers. A man could readily stand and balance himself 
on them, in pitching sheaves of grain to the upper scaf- 
fold, Mr. Francis A. Gillette, now owning that barn, 
which is more than lOO years old, has measured for me 
some of the timbers. The beams are 10x12 inches, the 
posts supporting them 11x12, and, as if to prevent posts 
and beams ever parting company, they are fastened to- 
gether with three wood pins at each joint, an inch and a 
half in diameter; the plates and purline plates 40 feet 
long, supporting the rafters, the former at the lower end 
and the latter midway between ends, 7x9 inches; the 
rafters, over 20 feet long, 4x5 inches; ridge pole 6x6 
inches, each of these timbers being hewed with axe from 
one oak log or pole for each timber. The men who pre- 
pared those timbers and erected that building have re- 
turned to dust, but their work may be expected to last for 
centuries longer, as a memento of the way things were 
done in the early days of our state. It ought to be men- 
tioned, as a recommendation of Mr. Gillette to President 
Roosevelt, that he is the father of ten children, nine still 
living. 

Dwight Humphrey's lilliputian size was made the 
more striking when he stood by the side of his tall wife. 
They had no children. He was a great reader, kept 
abreast with the times politically, was an ardent demo- 
crat, taking The Weekly Times, which I often bor- 
rowed of him, my father's paper being The Weekly 
CouRANT, whose semi-monthly supplement was a great 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



75 



boon to families, filled as it was with carefully selected 
stoYies and much other good reading matter. Mr. Hum- 
phrey also loaned me his Congressional Globe, very cap- 
tivating to me, as it gave me my first intimate acquaint- 
ance with the great men of that day, Webster, Clay, 
Calhoun, Toombs, Stephens, Seward, Giddings, and so 
on. I thought then, and have never changed my mind, 
that Webster was the greatest man the country had pro- 
duced. I remember how I had hoped he would be nomi- 
nated for president in 1852, and how grieved we students 
in Williston seminary were when, in the autumn of 1852, 
we received news of his death, hastened, I doubt not, 
because of his disappointment in not receiving that nomi- 
nation. He would have had my first presidential vote 
if he had been nominated; as it was, however, I did not 
vote for General Scott, his competitor, being away from 
home teaching school, and waited till 1856 to cast my 
first presidential vote for John C. Fremont. Scott car- 
ried but two or three states; but, apparently, his life was 
not shortened by his defeat. Such a result evidently hur- 
ried Horace Greeley into his grave. His defeat was fol- 
lowed by his death after election, but before the meeting 
of the presidential electors. His case was pitiable, in that 
in his electioneering tour through the country his speeches 
in the east were high tariff in character, and in the west 
low tariff. 

The Humphreys in Simsbury and Canton have never 
been at all numerous; but the name has been exceptionally 
honored. From 1776 to 18 18, when our state constitu- 
tion was adopted, there were semi-annual sessions of the 
legislature, in May and October, representatives being 
elected to each separate session. From 1776 to 1806, 
when Canton was set off from Simsbury, there were sixty- 
two sessions, and in forty of them there was from Sims- 
bury (mostly from the west part of it, subsequently set 
off as Canton), at least one Humphrey, and sometimes 



76 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

both representatives bore that name. From 1806 to 18 18 
there were twenty-four sessions, In eleven of which there 
was an Humphrey from Canton. Since 1818 there have 
been seventy-eight sessions, In thirteen of which!, one" 
sixth of the number, there has been an Humphrey from 
Canton. This is a record of which those who bear that 
name may well be proud. The three Humphreys in the 
house since 18 18, whom I have not already mentioned, 
were the late Alfred F. Humphrey ('76), his son, Fred- 
erick G. ('01), and Henry ('05). George F., another 
son of Alfred, was In the house from Bloomfield, in '97. 
It should be incidentally stated that character has been 
the test in selecting candidates for representatives in that 
section of the state. I have never heard any scandal 
connected with securing nominations or elections, in the 
way of buying votes in Canton. 

Alfred and Henry were brothers, their great-grand- 
father, Colonel George Humphrey, born In 1756, died 
1 8 13, was cousin of Deacon Theophllus Humphrey; 
their grandfather was named George, born 1782, died 
1836; and their father was named George, born 1804. 
The first two named Georges were born In the Canton 
part of Simsbury, the first named was In the War of the 
Revolution; the last named George was born* in New 
Hartford. The name George Humphrey was several 
times represented In the legislature, from West Simsbury. 
Alfred married Mrs. Lydia A. Mills, who had been pre- 
viously married, she being the daughter of Dr. Chauncey 
G. Griswold and Ruth Mills, sister of Ephraim and 
Simeon Mills; and Henry married Calcle A. Mills, both 
of whom are living, she being the daughter of Ellzur, 
and granddaughter of Simeon. [Calcle died Apr. 19, 
1908.] Alfred's widow, an octogenarian, is happily 
spending the evening of her long and useful life In the 
family of her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. 
George W. Lamphier, Jr., residing In the only stone 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES n-j 

dwelling-house in all that section, built by the late Volney 
G. Barbour, of granite, blasted out of a near-by quarry 
by his brother, Linus Barbour. 

I wish in this connection to speak of this man Linus. 
He was a well-known man in all that region, and univer- 
sally respected. He never married, was (like his brother, 
Jesse, of whom I have particularly spoken on page 
31) a democrat, a great reader, an able debater, though 
he had some impediment in his speech. Some sixty- 
five years ago he proposed that shade trees should be 
set out along the highway, north of the church at the 
Center, and succeeded in enlisting others in the scheme, 
which was carried out, and those trees today are a me- 
mento of that good man's influence and work in a com- 
mendable enterprise. For a time he carried on the only 
grist mill at the Center, and, as a boy, I sometimes visited 
him in connection with my father's patronage of the mill. 
My father used to say that, of all men, a miller should 
be an honest man, because there were in the business 
opportunities to practice dishonesty. The compensation 
for grinding grain was in the form of toll, a certain quan- 
tity taken out of a bushel, prescribed by the law of the 
state. Dishonesty, not often easily proved, could be prac- 
ticed by mixing in grain of the same kind and of inferior 
quality. Then, too, it might not be noticed by the patrons 
of the mill, if the toll taken out was a little in excess of 
what was legal. In the latter particular there was some- 
times pleasantry indulged in at a miller's expense, namely, 
that he had made a mistake, kept the grist and sent back 
the toll. No suspicion of that sort ever attached to Linus, 
for he was honesty personified. In the last years of his 
life he resided in Ansonia, and died and was buried there, 
in an unmarked grave. While I resided there, some 
twenty years after his death, I witnessed the disinterring 
of his remains, which his sisters, Mrs, Russell Bristol and 
Mrs. Selden White, caused to be transferred to the Can- 



78 BARBOURS REMINISCENCES 

ton Center burying-ground, where are burled many of 
the family connections. It was not easy to make a mis- 
take in the removal of those bones, for he was a very tall 
man, and the undecayed auburn hair was a further proof 
of identity. So tall was Linus that there was a saying 
in reference to tall people, " As tall as Linus," and it 
would have been equally appropriate, in speaking of up- 
right men, to have said, " Honest as Linus." I was 
informed that his death may have been hastened by an 
operation to help his impediment of speech, performed 
in New York. 

Death of President Sears. 
Since the first part of this article was written, includ- 
ing the incidental reference to the Collins company, Presi- 
dent Sears has died. While writing that part I had not 
heard of his serious illness, and thought of him as likely 
to live many years, and was even then thinking of him, as 
I often had before, as an ideal man for governor of the 
state, so graceful in bearing, so successful had he been 
in governing a most important private corporation. As 
what I thus wrote was the dictate of my sober judgment, 
and no way sentimental, L hope it will not seem indeli- 
cate to let it appear as thus written. And, in the same 
unimpassioned manner, I wish to add that, in his death, 
Canton has received a shock, and suffered a loss from 
which it will not soon recover. Men die, corporations 
live on, and I cannot doubt that the wise men at the head 
of that company will be guided In the selection of a worthy 
successor of the good man, whose death we all sincerely 

mourn. 

S. B. 
Hartford, Febniary 14, 1907. 

[The position was well filled by the promotion of Mr. 
Wm. Hill. Mr. Charles H. Smith is the very efficient 
superintendent, and Mr. Frederick J. Hough, the assistant 
superintendent.] 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES -jq 



NOTE. 



In the foregoing newspaper sketch of the Humphrey families, 
there is no mention made of a fourth son of Captain Loin Humph- 
rey, of Canton, namely, Hosea Dayton Humphrey, who was 
born in Canton, August 3, 1809, and who graduated from Am- 
herst College. I must have heard in my boyhood of so prominent 
a man as he was, but, if I did, I had forgotten it. This is per- 
haps explained by the fact, that he left town for the west, about 
the time of my birth. In that sketch I mentioned that Theophi- 
lus Humphrey, the father of Capt. Loin (Loin married Rhoda, 
daughter of Hosea Case), had eleven children. As a coincidence, 
I now mention that Capt. Loin had eleven children, who were 
Loin Harmon, Austin N., Eunice, Hosea E. (died at the age 
of three years), Hosea Dayton, Warren C, R. Florinda, Sarah E., 
Susan M., an infant (died at birth), and Eliza L. 

In going west, Hosea Dayton is said to have ridden to Ohio 
on horseback. He read law in the office of Henry Starr, of Cin- 
cinnati, and then located for the practice of law in Crawfords- 
ville, Ind., in 1832. Wabash College was established there in 
1834, ^^^ he became a member of its faculty, being appointed 
professor of mathematics, the duties of which appointment he 
performed in connection with the practice of law, until the time 
of his death, September 18, 1845. On September 23, 1835, at 
Warren, Conn., he was married to Caroline Starr, daughter of 
George Starr of Warren, Conn., a brother of Henry. She was 
born July 8, 181 1. There were born to them six children, all 
in Crawfordsville, Ind., namely, Henry, George Starr, Frank 
Warren, Austin R., Flora, and Hosea Dayton, Jr., the last named 
on January 18, 1846. Henr}' is living in Medford, Oregon 
(served through the Civil War) ; George is a Iretired farmer, 
living in Washington, Conn, (in the House in 1871); Frank 
was in the war from Illinois, was under Gen. Grant in his cam- 
paign on the Mississippi River, was mortally wounded, while 
aboard gunboat Switzerland, in the siege of Vicksburg, and died 
June 7, 1863; Austin served in the war, is a farmer, residing in 
Warren, Conn, (in the House in 1876) ; Flora died in New 



8o BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

Orleans, La., in May, 1863. Upon the death of the father of 
these children, his widow came to Warren, Conn., with the chil- 
dren, to live with her father. She died in 1853, 

H. Dayton Humphrey, Jr. 

This gentleman is a man of affable manners, and genial dis- 
position. He came to New Britain May 7, 1863, and has since 
resided there, where he is one of the most prominent and most 
highly respected inhabitants, and has had much to do in pro- 
moting the growth and prosperity of the town. He was in the 
dry goods business there for years, and for a few years past has 
conducted a large real estate and insurance business, being the 
leading man there in that business. He is a member of the society 
committee of the South Congregational Church of New Britain ; 
one of the trustees of " Erwin Home," an institution for old 
ladies; chairman of the New Britain water board, a branch of 
the city government, his position and duties corresponding to those 
of the president of the board of water commissioners of Hartford; 
and he holds other important offices, and would hold more if he 
would consent to take them. He has had very much to do with 
acquiring water rights and privileges; and the soundness of his 
judgment in all business, church and social affairs has been demon- 
strated. 

On October 4, 187 1, Mr. Humphrey was married to Miss 
Harriet Loomis, of New Britain. They have a delightful home, 
his family consisting of his wife, an. unmarried son, Howard 
Starr, who graduated from Yale College in 1897, and is now a 
member of the Parker Shirt Company, of New Britain, and a 
daughter. Miss Flora Loomis, who is a graduate of Wellesley 
College. 

Mr. Humphrey has shown me a large, beautiful mahogany 
sideboard, known to be at least 125 years old, and that belonged 
to his grandmother Starr, who pointed out to him the apartment 
in it, in which she told him the flip was kept, to be served to 
ministers. It is a matter of authentic history, that in early days 
clergymen openly partook of stimulating drinks the same as other 
people, presumably, we may suppose, a pure article, and in mod- 
eration. He also showed me a unique paper, of which the follow- 
ing is a copy: 




H. DAYTON HUMPHREY, New Britain, Conn. 
His paternal ancestors were natives of Canton. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES gl 

"FUNERAL INVITATION. 

" Yourself and Familv are respectfully invited to attend the 
Funeral of H O S E A D. HUMPHREYS at the resi- 
dence of Ben T. Ristine, Esq., this afternoon at 3 o'clock. Sep- 
tember 20, 1846." 

(In former days the letter s was generally added to the name 
Humphrey.) 

At first blush, it seems queer to send cards of invitation to a 
funeral ; but, really, why is it not as appropriate for one to select 
one's guests when one buries a dead friend, as to select one's guests 
for a reception in honor of a living friend ? 

Mrs. Humphrey and her daughter are zealous members of 
the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. 
The latter's eligibility for membership is at least trebly fortified, 
for three of her father's great grandfathers, Theophilus Humphrej'^, 
Hosea Case, and Elisha Cornish, were in the Revolutionary War. 

Mr. Humphrey is proud of the family name, and, as remarked 
in the sketch to which this is a supplement, the great respecta- 
bility of those who have borne the name, fully justifies such a 
feeling. 

S. B. 



[Hariford Times, April 30, 1Q07.] 



ACTIVE AT 79. 



Dr. Edward Hitchcock, Professor of Physical 

Culture at Amherst — Judge Barbour 

Reminiscent. 



To the Editor of the Times : 

Accompanied by his picture, there appears in the last 
Outlook a very interesting article on a widely known man, 
Edward Hitchcock, M.D,, professor of physical culture 
in Amherst college. In 1859 that college created a 
department of physical education and hygiene, which was 
an experiment in college training. Years afterward Presi- 
dent Eliot of Harvard university said: " It is to Amherst 
college that the colleges of the country are indebted for a 
demonstration of the proper mode of organizing the de- 
partment of physical culture." Dr. J. W. Hooker of 
New Haven, a recent graduate of Yale college and Medi- 
cal school, was the first incumbent of the chair, but, owing 
to his failing health and death a few months later, Dr. 
Hitchcock was called to the position, and has filled it ever 
since, nearly one-half century. There are said to be more 
than 4,000 men now living, who have received benefit from 
his instruction. I imagine that not a few of your many 
thousand readers are among that number, and that such 
of them as are not readers of the Outlook will be interested 
in seeing his likeness in your paper. The author of that 
article, a former pupil of the doctor, says: " Every one 
of them [his pupils] he has known by name; more than 
that, he has known each man's chest expansion, and his 
' pull-up,' and some forty other listed and intimate physical 
details, and has rejoiced with him over every least show- 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES g^ 

ing of gain." His pupils knew him as " Old Doc," and 
loved him greatly, so familiar with them and so interested 
in them was he. 

The doctor's father was for years president of Amherst 
college, and, by his book, entitled " Religion of Geology," 
issued more than a half century ago, did much to disprove 
the common belief that the world was created in six 
natural days. He showed that the earth's strata dem- 
onstrated that the work of creation extended over many 
centuries. 

It was my great privilege to intimately know Dr. 
Hitchcock as an instructor in Williston seminary before he 
became professor at Amherst college, and to have as class- 
mates his brother, Charles, and Cyrus Northrop, now 
president of the Minnesota university. I sat at the same 
table with the latter in a boarding club, the late William 
S. Goslee of Glastonbury being also a member of that 
club. Forty years afterward, in 1891, I met the doctor 
for the first time, and reminded him that I recited to him 
in Williston seminary, as did a certain young lady, a 
classmate, whom he afterward married, as T had heard, 
and I inquired if she was still living. In his quick, quaint 
way he replied: "She was when I left home this 
morning." The article I refer to illustrates his comical 
way of speaking. On a commencement day, when former 
graduates were greeting the doctor, one of them said to 
him: " Guess you don't remember me, ' Old Doc' I'm 
Jones of 'sixty-blank; got a boy in college now." Quick 
as a flash came the reply: " He's a good boy, Jones, a 
good boy; better deportment than his father had, but I'm 
glad to see ye." 

Many an amusing story is told of the doctor's catch- 
ing boys at their pranks. For instance, a Hartford 
graduate, a lawyer, an ex-judge, who was a student at the 
college, tells me of one occasion when some of the students 
were out at night on " a lark," the attorney one of them I 



84 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



will suppose; and the sentinel of the party called out: 
" Boys, run ! Hitch is coming," The first time I ever 
saw Dr. Lamson (afterward pastor of the Center church 
in Hartford) was at the semi-centennial of Williston 
seminary, he being the orator of the day. He told of a 
scrape he was in at the seminary when a student there. 
The boys were out at night, helping themselves to tempt- 
ing fruit, and the sentinel of the occasion sounded the 
alarm, that " Old Hitch " was coming. The orator 
turned about to the doctor sitting on the stage, and, with 
one of his happy smiles on his face, said: " That's a true 
story, Doc," whereat the audience cheered loudly. 

The doctor is almost 80 years old, still wiry and alert, 
with snow-white hair, and a splendid example of what 
physical culture can do for a person. He fitted for college 
at the Amherst academy and Williston seminary, gradu- 
ated at Amherst college and the Harvard Medical school, 
having as a classmate in college Julius H. Seelye, after- 
ward president of Amherst college, and a member of 
congress one term, having the distinction of spending only 
3 cents as a candidate, for a postage stamp, used, I 
presume, in notifying the committee of his acceptance of 
the nomination. S, B. 

Hartford, April 29, 1907, 

[The Doctor was born at Amherst, Mass., May 23, 
1828, is still in the harness, and joyously celebrated his 
eightieth birthday]. 





"^- ^Rnr^\'}° HITCHCOCK ROLLIN O. HUMPHREY 

Born May .3, 1828 Born August .6, 1827. 

Classmates, Williston Seminary, 1844. 




DR. CHAUNCEY G. GRISWOLD. 
Born Sept. 10, 1792. Died Dec. 26, 1864. 




Uncle and Niecu. 



MRS. R. O. HUMPHREY. 
Born May 14, 1840. 



[ Hak'ikoku Times, Nov. 30, 1907.] 



NINETY-THIRD ANNIVERSARY. 



Sketch of Mrs. Ruth Williams, Who Observed 
Her Birthday Today at Home of Nieces." 



To the Editor of The Times: 

On November 30, 18 14, Ruth Case, now Mrs. Ruth 
Williams, was born in Canton, the town of my own na- 
tivity, and today she celebrated her 93d birthday. Provi- 
dence having thus lengthened out her life, there come 
to my mind the touching words of Daniel Webster, spoken 
at Bunker Hill in an address to surviving soldiers of the 
American Revolution, just fifty years after the battle 
fought on that historic spot: "Venerable men! You 
have come down to us from a former generation; heaven 
has bounteously lengthened out your lives that you might 
behold this joyous day!" Substituting "woman" for 
" men " and " life " for "lives," the words may be used 
fittingly on this interesting anniversary occasion as an 
affectionate salutation to this venerable woman; and, con- 
sidering the great contrast between the world as it was at 
her birth and the world as she views it today, I might 
appropriately add to that salutation these words, quoted 
from that address: "Behold how altered! The same 
heavens are indeed over your head(s) . . . but all 
else how changed!" Wonderful, indeed, has been the 
change and the advance in the world during the life of 
this aged woman, and she realizes it all. Her mind Is 
bright and her memory clear, and she retains the sprlght- 
llness of the average woman of three-score-and-ten years. 
It has been my privilege during the last few months to 
spend an occasional hour with her, listening to her ani- 



86 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

mated, crisp, instructive conversation about old-time mat- 
ters. She now resides in Hartford, happily spending the 
evening of her active life in the families of her affectionate 
nieces, children of her brother Jared and his wife, Lydia 
(Emmons), born June 28, 18 19, who were married No- 
vember 29, 1848, namely, Mrs. Georgia A., wife of 
Henry P. Smith, and Mrs. Edna L., wife of William R. 
Reid, at No. 48 Oak street. 

Mrs. Williams was one of the very numerous Cases in 
Canton, and is the daughter of Robert Case (born June 
17, 1779, died November 19, 1861), anci Clarissa Case 
(born July 15, 1784, died October 31, 1827), who were 
married March 28, 1804, their children being Robert 
(born December 22, 1804, died March 18, 1852), Am- 
brose (born June 11, 1806, died iVpril 26, 1883), Pluma 
(born April 8, 1808, died February 6, 1886), Clarissa 
(born January 5, 18 10, died February 13, 1877), Tem- 
perance (born May 29, 18 12, died May i, 18 18), Ruth 
(born November 30, 18 14), Jared (born July 9, 18 17, 
died February 16, 1866), Walter (born December 3, 
1 8 19 (time and place of death unknown), Louisa (born 
April 2, 1882, died October 18, 1828), Savilla (born 
December 12, 1824, died August 12, 1902). By the 
father's second marriage there was a half-brother, Sidney 
(born April 5, 1830, died August 19, 1902). Of the 
eleven children Mrs. Williams alone survives, a circum- 
stance sadly impressive to the sole survivor of a large 
family, as I can testify from personal experience. 

Mrs. Williams's father's father's name was Simeon, 
her mother's father's name was Darius. Her mother was 
a sister of Anson Case (born in 1791), long prominent 
in Canton ; her father was a brother of the father of 
Chester Case (who lately died at the age of 95) ; she is 
therefore cousin of Chester, as she is of Chester's brother 
Joseph, and is also cousin of the three brothers, Everett 
Case (who lately died at the age of 94), the late Hon. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 87 

Norton Case (father of Dr. Erastus E. Case), and Orrin 
Case, now living in Granby. Mrs. Williams's father was 
a cousin of Ruggles Case, longtime and widely patronized 
blacksmith in North Canton, and staunch democrat of 
the old school. There are still living three children of 
Ruggles Case's large family, namely, Edmund in Hart- 
ford, Henry in California, and Sarah (my pupil), the 
widow of Horace Vining, living in North Canton, in the 
family of her daughter, wife of Henry Adams, the much- 
respected grandson of General Ezra Adams, prominent in 
that community a century ago. There are many very re- 
spectable descendants of the general, among whom is his 
grandson, George Jarvis Case, of Canton, well known to 
all of your readers as having much to do with the weather, 
not, however, in the business of regulating and forecasting 
the weather, a work so damaging to the reputation of a 
man for wisdom, but in recording and reporting it, as, 
day by day, and night by night, it puts in its appearance. 
One of the general's sons, Henry, became my greatly 
esteemed uncle by his marriage to my father's sister. Mrs. 
Williams's aunt Elizabeth married Reuben Russell, who 
with his family and household effects moved to Ohio, 
locating in that part of it called New Connecticut, making 
the entire journey in his wagon, behind which he led his 
cow. This occurred when Mrs. Williams was a small 
child, and she vividly remembers witnessing the good-by 
partings and the departure of the emigrants. The aunt 
died out there in 1850, aged 63 years. 

Intermarriages between the Cases in Canton have been 
common, but I have never seen any evidence of that por- 
tion of the human race suffering any degeneracy In con- 
sequence. In general thrift and respectability they have 
not been surpassed in that community. Eliminate the 
Cases from that town, and it would not rank where it now 
does. 

In her early life Mrs. Williams taught school in dif- 



88 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

ferent districts in that region, holding sessions every other 
Saturday, as was then the custom, boarding around, and 
receiving the uniform wages of one dollar a week. It 
was my pleasure afterward, in 1852, to have as a pupil 
in a school in North Canton one of her scholars, Everett 
Case's daughter, Antoinette, now the widow of George 
Weed, who was also my pupil, as was his sister Martha 
Weed, now living with her brother James in North Can- 
ton. That pay for a teacher now^ seems small, though it 
was then common for female teachers in district schools; 
and three times that sum was considered good pay for 
male beginners, as I can testify from personal experience. 
If the latter pay was adequate, in my judgment the former 
was not, for in teaching quality there is not, as a general 
rule, that difference, if any, between the sexes. I suppose 
the theory is that man surpasses woman in discipline, 
though, judging from my observation, I am not sure of the 
soundness of the theory; but, be that as it may, consider- 
ing the mettle Mrs. Williams exhibits, I will wager a guess 
that she was in no wise deficient in government. I don't 
know when the practice began of having school sessions 
every other Saturday, or, perhaps, I should rather say, 
of allowing to teachers and scholars the fortnightly Satur- 
day holiday. There was no statute for it. Mrs. Lydia 
Griswold Humphrey (widow of Alfred F.), who has re- 
cently celebrated her eighty-second birthday, tells me that 
in her early teaching in Wethersfield, she was given the 
option of teaching every other Saturday, or a half-day 
every Saturday, she, however, choosing the alternate ar- 
rangement as preferable to herself and scholars. In those 
days it was the common practice for teacher and scholars 
to join in reading a chapter in the Bible as an opening 
exercise. I know there is now an almost unanimous opinion 
that the practice is objectionable, though I don't remem- 
ber to have heard any objection to it then. The branches 
of study then receiving chief attention were the three 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



89 



R's, reading, writing and arithmetic, and the two G's, 
geography and grammar. There were, too, daily oral 
spelling exercises, the classes, sometimes large, being ar- 
rayed on the floor, " toeing a mark," the member mis- 
spelling a word being displaced by the first one down the 
line spelling it correctly. There was great strife to see 
who would " get to the head " most times during the term, 
a reward of some sort being sometimes given to the victor, 
but, if not, the glory was suflicient pay. The book of 
words used was Webster's " Elementary Spelling Book," 
beginning with words of one syllable, and ending with 
those of seven syllables, every one of which selected words 
should be in the vocabulary of even^ cultivated writer and 
speaker. The tables of words were interspersed with 
sentences of a line or two, happily illustrating the meaning 
of many of the words. Then there were in the book pages 
of words, arranged in pairs, differently spelled, but identi- 
cal in pronunciation, with definitions appended, to be 
learned and recited by the scholars in like manner; and 
in the back part of the book were short fables and accom- 
panying pictures, moral in their signification, notable 
among which was that representing the pilfering boy in 
an apple-tree, looking down contemptuously upon the 
owner standing underneath, whose moral suasion being 
insultingly disregarded, as a final argument, missiles, first 
pieces of turf, then stones, were resorted to, and were 
said to have brought the urchin down from the tree and 
upon his knees, begging the old man's pardon — the book 
being on the whole of priceless value, suflicient to have 
immortalized Noah Webster, if he had made no other 
contribution to literature. I recall with the greatest pleas- 
ure those spirited contests, and one of my lamentations 
is that I did not preserve a twenty-five cent book thus 
won one four-months' term, when, by reason of the num- 
ber of good spellers in the class, the result was in doubt 
until the last day. The book disappeared in some way, 



90 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



as, to my present grief, did my school books, the spelling 
book, Peter Parley's geography. Smith's grammar, and 
Colburn's Intellectual arithmetic, the last named book 
being properly named " intellectual," the solution of its 
problems not permitting the making of a figure, but was 
wholly oral, sometimes lengthy, and was designed and cal- 
culated to strengthen the intellect by unbroken continuity 
of thought, a mental attainment not easy to achieve. I 
didn't realize that such books long afterward would be 
prized as mementos of the happiest days of life. In good 
sense I was unlike my schoolteacher niece, Miss Lucy, who 
can show most of her school books. She has also her 
father's early reading book, " Easy Lessons in Reading," 
containing pleasing and instructive fables and stories, 
edited by Joshua Leavitt, and published in 1823. It is 
illustrated with divers wood cuts, which are amusing in 
this day of pictorial art. I find folded in the book, which 
had been loaned to Judge David S. Calhoun, a letter 
written by him years ago, expressing his great pleasure in 
having had " the opportunity of reading it once more," 
the inference being that it may have been his first reading 
book. Now that there has developed such a taste and 
craze for the antique, it would seem probable that there 
will not hereafter be such a reprehensible neglect in pre- 
serving the educational implements of childhood, to afford 
delight in the period of old age. There were added, to 
the spelling by classes what was called " choosing-sides " 
spelling matches, in which the school as a whole par- 
ticipated, the teacher naming leaders, one for each side, 
who exhibited their estimate of the relative spelling ability 
of the scholars, as, alternately, they chose their assistants, 
till the list was exhausted, the victory being given to the 
side having the member that stood up longest. So much 
attention given to spelling exercises helps to make good 
spellers, and everybody, who ever writes a letter or any- 
thing else, knows the comfort there is in being able to 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



91 



spell correctly. In this da}' of stenographers, howe\er, it 
is less essential to the business man than formerK', pro- 
vided the stenographer is up in the art, as is probably 
generally the case. 

Mrs. Williams speaks of the old church edifice at North 
Canton, known as " The Independent Meeting House," it 
being for general religious services, and for all people 
regardless of sect, though, as she knew it, the services were 
Episcopal in form. It stood about one mile north of the 
schoolhouse, on the corner of the road leading to Granby 
and the crossroad therefrom, to the road going to Bark- 
hamsted. In a historical address delivered at the Cen- 
tennial Celebration, Mr. Sears does not mention it, in his 
enumeration of church edifices in Canton, though of its 
existence there is no question. In Phelps's history of 
Simsbury, published in 1845, '^ '^ stated that it was built 
about sixty years before that date, namely, 1785, and that 
religious services having ceased to be maintained in it, it 
was taken down in 1842. It appears to have been the 
second church built in West Simsbury, now Canton, the 
first was that at the center, erected in 1763, taken down 
in 1 8 14, and succeeded by the present house on the same 
site, dedicated in 1815. 

Mrs. Williams has no children. She was married to 
Alonzo Williams, a widower, with children, at Pine 
Meadow, New Hartford, February 27, 1855. He was 
born May 28, 1804, and died December 22, 1880. His 
nephew, Albert (son of his brother, Douglas Williams), 
was born in New Hartford, December 22, 1828; was one 
of a family of ten children; in 1853 was married to Helen 
M. Graves (born in Agawam, Mass., April 14, 1834); 
was railroad station agent at Collinsville for twenty-five 
years, from March 17, 1857; carried on the coal and feed 
business there some forty vears; built a dwelling house in 
1867 on the site of an old house long occupied by Mr. 
Frisbie, near the water tank, on the corner of River road 



92 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



and Maple avenue, where his widow now resides. He 
was a highly respected citizen, for years a deacon and 
tireless worker in the Congregational church in Collins- 
ville, and died October 15, 1906. 

That old Frisbie house was a familiar landmark to 
me, when sixty-six years ago, as a lad of ten years, I began 
to drive an ox team to Collinsville, laden with the produce 
of my father's farm, six miles distant from Collinsville. 
In these days of high prices, it may be of some interest to 
mention that that year, 1841, we carried to Collinsville 
and sold over 400 bushels of potatoes at 20 cents a bushel; 
among our customers were Samuel W. Collins, Charles 
Blair, Ben Wingate, Sam Barbour, George Lane, Pliny 
Humphrey, Samuel Victor Woodbridge, Deacon Horatio 
N. Goodwin and the father of Congressman Simonds. 
My father sent me on ahead, following later with the 
horse team. My return trip was not on foot as was 
the down trip, but, Barkis like. I rode perched up in 
the front end of the cart. It was always after nightfall, the 
up-hill-and-down, winding road being dreary, as there were 
no electric lights on it, except when I got caught in a 
thunder shower. There were few inhabitants on the road, 
Case families preponderating. How my heart throbs, as 
I recall those toilsome, though happy vears of childhood, 
doing what I could to assist my father, always burdened 
with debt, to pay interest and taxes, and support and 
educate a family of nine children ! But I thank God I 
was permitted to have just that strenuous boyhood and 
youth. 

Mrs. Williams takes great pride in her family relatives, 
having a carefully kept record of them, which she is 
pleased to exhibit. Of her brother Robert's children there 
are living four, Ansel (born December 17, 1826), John 
Julia, Ann and Martha. Their brother Trumbull (born 
January 15, 1831) was my beloved pupil, my senior in 
age, but always abundant in the manifestation of the re- 




EVERETT CASE 

Born March 14, 1812. Died Nov. 11, iqo6. 

CHESTER CASE 

Born Oct. 9, iSii, Died June 9, 1907. 




MRS. RUTH CASE WILLIAMS 
Born Nov. 30, 1814. Still living, in good health. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



93 



spect due to the relationship existing between us. Within 
one month of the close of the school it was my great 
sorrow to attend the funeral of himself and his father, 
buried in one grave, the father having died March i8, 
1852, and the son, March 20. Mrs. Williams's cousin 
Joseph's son, Wilbert J. Case and his wife Lucelia (Wil- 
cox), my pupils, now reside in Hyde Park, Mass. My 
admiration of that young man's name (resulting, partly, 
perhaps, from his lovable character), led me to suggest 
his name for a nephew, my eldest sister's son, born that 
winter, and the child lived to be proud of the name, as are 
two grandnephews now bearing it. 

Mrs. Williams's brother, Ambrose's grandson. Birds- 
eye Erskine Case (born, September 2, 1878), a practicing 
lawyer in Hartford, distinguished himself in Yale Law 
school, graduating from it in 1906, receiving a prize of 
one hundred dollars, and delivering the Townsend essay on 
" The International Police Power of the United States on 
the American Continent," an address in which he forcibly 
and ably discussed and urged the duty of the United States 
to exercise that power over the South American republics, 
if they are to enjoy the benefits they receive from the en- 
forcement of the Monroe doctrine. As time goes on, 
the urgency of the exercise of that power over those mis- 
behaving, scrappy republics grows more apparent. That 
was not the only prize Birdseye there received for excel- 
lence in legal scholarship. Birdseye was married July 17, 
1906, to Louise Marion Sage of Collinsville. Birdseye's 
mother, Frances (born December 23, 1849, ^^^^ January 
I, 1886), was the daughter of Ambrose Case; his father, 
Emerson Case, again married, now resides in x'\von. 

Mr. Smith, husband of the niece Georgia A., above 
referred to, was born October 8, 1852, in New Hav^en, 
Mrs. Smith in North Canton, October 4, 1853, ^""^ they 
were married November 13, 1873, in Springfield, Mass.; 
Mr. Reid, husband of Edna L., was born in Tariffville, 



04 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

March 4, 1848, Mrs. Reid August 9, 1862, in North 
Canton, and they were married in Suffield February 8, 
1883. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have no children, except as 
they playfully claim part ownership in the Reid children, 
living in the same house, and for whom they manifest 
parental affection; Mr. and Mrs. Reid having eight chil- 
dren, a pleasing group, William J., Lydia E., Leslie C, 
Henry W., Savilla J., Malvern E., Stuart I., and Elton 
R. William has been in the Charter Oak National bank 
of Hartford four years, having been promoted step by 
step to the position of bookkeeper at present. Lydia is 
a stenographer, Leslie in the high school, and the other 
children in district schools. The Smith and Reid families 
are most harmonious and delightful in their association, 
and are enthusiastically devoted to their Aunt Ruth. She, 
however, has specially adopted Elton, 3K' years old, whom 
she delights to call her child, who beautifully reciprocates 
her affection. Mr. Smith's father, Henry A. Smith, a 
well-preserved man, will be 80 February 16, 1908. Mr. 
Reid is the son of James Reid of Simsbury. Of the 
children of Chester Case, five are living, W^illiam, Willis, 
Frederick, Frank and Rachel. Besides Mrs. Weed and 
the wife of Dr. Case, children of Everett Case, there is a 
daughter, Lucia, living in New Britain. 

Mrs. Williams's husband is buried in the old cemetery 
in North Canton, as are her parents and many other rela- 
tives, where she expects to rest by the side of her husband 
till the resurrection day. She makes no prediction as to 
the period of time she will sleep in that sacred ground. 
She is willing to leave that all to her Saviour, assured that 
in His own good time she will come forth to meet Him. 
Who will say that such faith and trust are not most beauti- 
ful? Religiously, Mrs. Williams is an ardent Second Ad- 
ventist, and is humbly, trustingly and joyfully looking for- 
ward to the second coming of her Saviour on the earth, 
when, on the morning of the resurrection, the trumpet 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



95 



shall sound and the dead in Christ shall be raised; she 
being a firm believer in the tenet held by the church of 
her faith " that death is a condition of unconsciousness to 
all persons, righteous and wicked, a condition that will 
remain unchanged until the resurrection at Christ's second 
coming, at which time the righteous will receive everlast- 
ing life, while the wicked will be punished with ever- 
lasting destruction, suffering complete extinction." Mrs. 
Williams retains her loving interest in the work of the 
church, reaciing its literature extensively, having been a 
subscriber to the " World's Crisis " from the beginning 
of its publication, over fifty years, and to the " Herald of 
Life " more than twenty-five years. 

The Second Adventist church came into great prom- 
inence in this country in the late twenties and early thirties 
of the last century, when William Miller, a plain farmer, 
residing in New York state, a profound student of pro- 
fane history, a disbeliever in a revealed religion, became 
converted to Christianity, and espoused the Second Ad- 
vent doctrine, and preached it extensively, and for a time, 
in Hartford, winning many converts to it, who were 
popularly known as " Millerites." It was then, and 
for some years afterward, the belief of those good 
people, that the coming of Christ was near at hand, 
and days were successively set for that coming. By 
this prediction, based on an interpretation of the Bible, 
a sensation, though of a different kind, was produced in 
the community, as extensive as occurred a little earlier, 
when William Morgan renounced Masonry and pub- 
lished a book which claimed to reveal the secrets of the 
Masonic order. He mysteriously disappeared shortly 
afterward, the popular idea being that his disappearance 
was due to foul play, occasioned by his disclosures. I well 
remember that years afterward the excitement over that 
disclosure and disappearance continued, and distressed 
many good people who were not connected with the order, 



96 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

and were prejudiced against it, among whom was my own 
mother, though she was much reheved by the assurances 
of her Christian son, Heman, a Mason, that there was no 
inconsistency between the principles of Masonry and those 
of Christianity. 

The Adventists have a church organization in Hart- 
ford, with a pleasant house of worship on Foot Guard 
place, and a devout membership, the Rev. Mr. Johnson 
being their zealous pastor. Mr. William J. Pierce, a man 
of much culture, saintly in character, and of venerable 
presence, has long been a pillar in the church, having 
written a history of it. Any one, liberally inclined in 
religious matters, must admit^hat this sect finds some war- 
rant in Scripture for its tenet concerning the future con- 
dition of the dead, as what sect does not there find some 
warrant for its peculiar beliefs, if independent passages are 
relied upon? 

With the condition of friendly relations now existing 
between the different religious bodies, no harm to the peace 
and welfare of society would seem likely to result from the 
existence of many sects. But, to our amazement, there 
has not always been this fraternizing spirit manifested. 
Even my own limited memory goes back to a different 
situation. I well remember, for example, how Christians 
believing in a future salvation limited to those dying re- 
generate, regarded with distrust, and did not receive into 
fellowship, churches of the Unlversalist faith, who ap- 
parently find no warrant In Scripture for limiting human 
repentance and divine forgiveness to this life, and urged 
In opposition to them, that the effect of a belief in the 
doctrine of universal salvation was to encourage a life of 
sin, though the preachers of that faith, no less earnestly 
than preachers of other faiths, proclaimed the duty of re- 
pentance and holy living, and the importance of securing 
divine forgiveness here and now. 

Divide as we may religiously, 'twould seem that all 



BARBOURS REMINISCENCES 



97 



must admit that the L'nl\ersalist and Adv^ent churches In 
their creeds impliedly pay a beautiful tribute to Jehovah's 
mercy, exercised though it be in a widely different manner, 
in the one case by the ultimate salvation of all, and in 
the other by the extinction of the wicked from the moment 
of death. Let no one be shocked at the last part of this 
rerhark, for, if there were such an alternative, would not 
extinction be preferable to an eternity of unhappiness? 
If It were permissible to apply finite reason to a matter of 
divine arrangement, not made so clear by revelation that 
there should be no difference of opinion concerning It, 
might it not be said, most reverently, that it seems im- 
probable, nay, impossible of human belief, that a Being, 
of whose power and wisdom we have such proof in our- 
selves and In the universe, can have established a scheme 
of creation, involving the unending, conscious estrange- 
ment from Himself of a portion of His creatures, made 
in His own image? Unutterably horrible! such a sup- 
position, a seeming affront to the benignity of a God 
of Infinite compassion! It must have been just that con- 
dition of soul of which the poet speaks. "Oh! what 
eternal horrors hang around the second death!" Not 
a cessation of life, but an eternity of misery — a living 
death is clearly meant. 

In further proof of my assertion of the former mani- 
festation of an un-Christlan spirit between different 
Christian churches, I quote from the words of Chief 
Justice Swift, In his " System of the Laws of Connecticut," 
published in 1795 : '' For near eighteen centuries, the dif- 
ferent sects of Christians have been quarreling with each 
other, respecting a religion which recommends brotherly 
love as the most essential duty ! It is time they began to 
practice the religion they profess. They ought to know, 
that no one can have any occasion to quarrel about It, 
because every one has a right to think as he pleases. May 
we not hope that the period is not far distant when man- 
7 



98 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



kind will have sense enough to discern the extreme folly 
of a religious quarrel?" No wonder that broadminded 
Christian jurist was shocked and indignant ov^er the 
quarrels of which he speaks; quarrels mainly over non- 
essentials, such as nice distinctions of theology, evolved 
by the different schools, and not material to man's moral 
well-being; quarrels in which the disputants forgot to 
exercise that charity which St. Paul so beautifully portrays 
and enjoins; quarrels in which the participants usurped 
the prerogative of the Judge on high, and undertook to 
pass judgment on each other! With what greater amaze- 
ment and grief the Master himself must have looked down 
on that spectacle ! 

In this era of such a beautiful exhibition of Christian 
charity, a humble layman might be permitted to inquire, 
why not let it have one other manifestation, namely, in 
an interchange of pulpit service between the robed and un- 
robed clergy, such as there is now between members of the 
latter class? I have never known such an exchange. And, 
please, why not here in Hartford let the courtesy go one 
step further, by inviting Rabbi Elkin into Christian pul- 
pits? He has been heard once in a Congregational church, 
and his reported utterances, though a Jew, recognized and 
honored Christ and breathed His spirit. The failure to 
make such exchanges is not due to any lack of mutual re- 
gard of the clergy, nor to any probable opposition of their 
congregations. How passing strange ! these separations, 
the result wholly of man-made regulations, how out of 
harmony with the sentiment of the hymn, " Blest Be the 
Tie," etc., sung in all worshipping congregations, with 
emphasis on "fellowship!" Such interchanges would 
tend to still further unify believers, who in heart and 
purpose are one. 

Something of a sensation has been produced by Dr. 
Parker's praiseworthy suggestion of a church, to be made 
up of all souls who love and strive to serve the Lord, to 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



99 



be received into membership, in the observance or non- 
observance of rites and ceremonies, according to the 
dictates of each member's conscience. Would not the 
carrying out in practice of this suggestion bring the world 
one step nearer the millennium? Most sincerely do I 
thank the doctor for thus leading the way to the establish- 
ment of a church, to which all may be admitted who give 
evidence that it is their ruling purpose and constant effort 
to live according to the teachings of the Bible, as they 
understand them ; and I wish he might have the support 
of his brethren in the ministry, in carrying out that scheme. 
That's all that's needed to make it a success; the people 
will welcome it, I verily believe. 

Greetings to Mrs. Williams. 
Should any persons be inclined to call to-morrow, 
Sunday, fore/ioon or afternoon, to pay their respects to 
Mrs. Williams, I am authorized to say that such calls 
will be pleasing to her, and that the families with whom 
she is living will greatly appreciate such a compliment to 
her. Will not heaven be pleased with such a use of a few 
minutes of holy time, and with such an exhibition of af- 
fection to this mother in Israel? I feel that I myself 
cannot more appropriately spend the Sabbath than by my 
presence on the occasion, to assist in it as I may be able. 
Cars on Capitol avenue, Lafayette street. Park street and 
Zion street, pass within a few steps of No. 48 Oak street. 

S. B. 
Hartford, November 30, 1907. 



[Hartford Tuies. Dec. 2, 1907.] 



HAD MANY CALLERS. 



Congratulations for Mrs. Ruth Williams on 93D 

Birthday. 



To the Editor of The Times: 

Mrs. Ruth Williams, of whose history I wrote you 
at length on Saturday, pleasantly passed her 93d birth- 
day anniversary on that day, at her home. No. 48 Oak 
street, Hartford, receiving calls and what the letter carrier 
was pleased to style, " bushels of letters for Aunt Ruth," 
about forty in number, all of which her good eyesight 
enabled her to read herself and greatly enjoy. Among the 
Saturday callers were Mrs. Williams's pupil of long ago, 
Mrs. Eliza (Phelps) Wilcox, Birdseye E. Case and wife 
and Mrs. Julia Goodrich of Hartford and Mrs. Bell 
Gilbert and Miss Maud Loomis of Granby. She was 
further honored and delighted by receiving many calls on 
Sunday from people of all religious faiths, whom she de- 
lighted, in turn, by her sparkling, witty conversation. 

Among the callers were the Hon. Henry K. Morgan, 
in his 89th year, his daughter. Miss Emily, Rabbi Elkin, 
Major Henry P. and Mrs. Hitchcock, Major and Mrs. 
William H. Talcott, Judge Leonard Morse, Enos Lane, 
James H. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Lankton, and the 
Rev. A. C. Johnson of Hartford, and Mrs. Roxy M. 
Hoyt (daughter of the late Giles Calhoun of Collinsville), 
and Henry T. Hart, both of East Hartford. 

Mrs. Williams is in good health, gets about the house, 
upstairs and down, with ease, and walks out almost daily. 

S. BARBOUR. 
Hartford, December 2, 1907. 



ADDITIONAL SKETCHES. 



Having in the foregoing letters to the Hartford 
Times referred only in a general way to the family to 
which I belong, it has been suggested to me by persons 
outside that family, that I ought to include in this pub- 
lication, statistics of the different branches of that family, 
somewhat in detail; accordingly waiving modesty, I 
proceed to comply with those suggestions, in the hope that 
thereby I may furnish historical and biographical informa- 
tion of some general interest, present and future. As I 
stated on bottom of page 55, I use the form of spelling the 
name adopted by the person referred to, the practice of 
the families not being uniform. 

HENRY BARBOUR. 

My father, Henry Barbour, was fifth in descent from 
Thomas Barber, who came to Windsor, Conn., in 1635, 
and he was the son of Jonathan and Abi (Merrill) Barber, 
of Canton, where he was born March 12, 1793. On 
April 2, 1 8 17, he was married to Naomi, daughter of 
Solomon and Hannah (Brown) Humphrey, of Barkham- 
sted, Conn., the marriage ceremony having been per- 
formed in Barkhamsted by William Taylor, Esq. Naomi 
was born in Burlington, Conn., where the family then re- 
sided, September 28, 1794. In the paternal line she was 
fifth in descent from Michael Humphrey, who came from 
England, and afterward to Windsor, Conn., about 1640. 
As in the mingling of the blood in my veins there is some 
Dyer blood intermixed, I am pleased to say that my mother 
was fifth in descent from Sarah Dyer, of Weymouth, 



102 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

Mass., who was the wife of John Ruggles, Jr., and who 
died May 2, 1687. In her maternal line, my mother was 
sixth in descent from Peter Brown, of Plymouth, Mass. 

Immediately upon their marriage, my father and 
mother began housekeeping at the home of his widowed 
mother and younger brothers and sisters, in the house 
latterly known as the Treat Lambert house, situated about 
one and one half miles northerly of Canton Center Con- 
gregational church. In the fall of 18 17, they moved 
one-fourth of a mile westerly to the house afterward long 
owned and occupied by Loin Harmon Humphrey. In 
April, 1820, they moved one mile northwesterly to the 
then one-story house that had been occupied by my father's 
first cousin, John Barber, father of General Lucius A. 
Barbour's father, Lucius, where the latter was born July 
26, 1805. My father added a second story to that house; 
the present and long-time past appearance of it being as 
shown in the accompanying picture. 

There were born to my parents, children as follows : 
Clarinda, April 17, 18 18; Heman Humphrey, July 19, 
1820; Henry Stiles, August 2, 1822; Lucy, May 7, 1824; 
Pluma, September 17, 1826; Juliaette, November 14, 
1828; Sylvester, January 20, 1831; Eliza Naomi, Feb- 
ruary 3, 1833; and Edward Payson, September 23, 1834. 
The eldest of these children was born in the Harmon 
Humphrey house, the others in the house afterward oc- 
cupied by the family. That house, and the farm connected 
with it, now belong to the family of the late Levi Gillette, 
whose son, Francis A., now owns and occupies the farm 
across the street, which was originally a part o^f my 
father's farm, my brother-in-law, Henry P. Lane, having 
bought it, and built the house upon it, which he occupied 
several years. 





HENRY BARBOUR 



NAOMI HU.MPHREY BARBOUR 





LUCY BARBOUR LANE PLUMA BARBOUR GARRETTE 

Parents and Daughters 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



CLARINDA BARBOUR. 



103 



On May 2, 1838, this daughter was married to Frank- 
lin Ruel Periy, who was born August 30, 18 13. He 
was a large-sized, brainy man, possessed of more than 
av^erage talents and intelligence, positive in his convictions. 
They first resided in the Widow Spring house, situated a 
few rods easterly of the Pliny Case blacksmith shop, at 
Canton Center; then, for a few years, in the Hosea Case 
house, situated on the hill a few rods northerly of the site 
of the present schoolhouse of the North Center school 
district. He taught school winters; and carried on farm- 
ing in the summer time, on a part of the farm then be- 
longing to Capt. Loin Humphrey, of which part of farm 
and Case house the late Giles Sisson afterward became 
the owner, and he took down that house and built, and for 
many years occupied a new house on substantially the 
same spot. Afterward the Perry family for a while oc- 
cupied the Augustus H. Carrier house, subsequently owned 
by Cyrus Harvey, of Collinsville, situated midway be- 
tween Canton Center and Collinsville; and then they 
moved to Collinsville, where he for years held a position in 
Collins Company's works. 

There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Perry three chil- 
dren, Oliver Franklin, October 11, 1839; Esther Cla- 
rinda, March 28, 1842; and Wilbert Warren, December 
20, 185 I ; the first named in the Spring house, and the 
others in the Hosea Case house. 

Politically, Mr. Perry allied himself with the despised 
Abolition party, and then with the Republican party on 
its formation. He held several town offices, and was 
esteemed for his upright character and sound judgment. 
He and his brother-in-law, Henry Stiles Barbour, had a 
novel experience one winter in the forties, just after the 
announcement of the invention by Morse of the electric 
telegraph. Thev traveled in a portion of New England, 



I04 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

lecturing on the invention, and exhibiting its working by 
a wire drawn from end to end of a hall, they transmitting 
messages to each other from the respective ends. They 
had some difficulty in convincing their audiences that there 
was not collusion between them as to the messages trans- 
mitted, until, upon their invitation, individuals in the 
audience prepared and handed to the operator the mes- 
sage to be sent. Mr. Perry died December 12, 1878, 
and his wife, April 30, 1886. 

OLIVER FRANKLIN PERRY. " 

He is possessed of an even, most amiable disposition, 
and maintains peaceful relations with everybody, and is 
faithful to every trust committed to him. For 44 years 
he has been connected with Collins Company in its office 
in Collinsville. On June 30, 1870, he was married to 
Laura Latimer, of Simsbury, a most estimable woman. 
She was born January* 14, 1847. There have been born 
to them two children, Wilbert Latimer, December 31, 
1 871; and one that died at birth. On June 2, 1906, 
Wilbert was married to Helen Bernardine Mahoney, of 
Hartford. They reside in West Hartford, and he is a 
rising Insurance man, connected with the JEtna. Fire In- 
surance company in its office in Hartford. They have 
no children. 

ESTHER CLARINDA PERRY. 

She has had an extraordinary career. She graduated 
from the State Normal school in New Britain in July, 
i860; and, with the exception of one year in the interval, 
has taught school continuously since that time; 35 years 
in the large graded public school of the West Middle 
District of Hartford ; being for 20 years its principal, 
convincing proof of her ability in teaching and govern- 
ment. She is a woman of commanding presence, queenly 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 105 

in visage and bearing, always self-possessed. Her years 
and labors seem to have made little impression upon her. 
She retains her connection with the school referred to. 



WILBERT WARREN PERRY. 

He inherited sterling qualities from his parents. He 
graduated from the Hartford High school in 1867 ; from 
Yale College before he was 20 years old, valedictorian 
of the class (1871), having among his classmates the 
Hon. Charles Hopkins Clark, editor of the Hartford 
COURANT, and Hon. Charles D. Hine, secretary of the 
Connecticut State Board of Education. For a time he 
conducted a school for the education of boys for college, 
in Morristown, New Jersey. He graduated from Columbia 
Law school. New York, taking high ^rank. He practiced 
law in Hartford nearly twenty years, demonstrating that 
he was able to conduct the trial of the most important 
and difficult cases, civil and criminal. Jointly with Hon. 
Edward S. Cleveland, he represented Hartford in the 
House in 1883, and was honored by Speaker Pine by an 
appointment on the Judiciary Committee as an additional 
member from Hartford County. 

On October 6, 1880, he was married to Kate Cleve- 
land Pratt, of Hartford, and there were bom to them four 
children, namely: Wilbert Warren, Jr., August 29, 1881; 
Katherine, March 25, 1883; Cleveland, March 13, 1885; 
and Franklin, February 23, 1888; the latter dying April 
2^;, 1888. Wilbert, Jr., and Cleveland are unmarried. 
On September 19, 1903, Katherine was married to Harold 
W. Hough, son of Hon. Emerson A. Hough, of Collins- 
ville (House, 1903), and they have two children, Perry 
Tyler, born April 30, 1905, and George Emerson, born 
June 19, 1908. William and Harold are in the office of 
the .'Etna Life Insurance company, Hartford; Cleveland 
is in Washington, D. C, where the mother resides. 



I06 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

HEMAN HUMPHREY BARBOUR. 

On October 23, 1845, he was married to Frances 
Elizabeth, daughter of Merlin and Clarissa (Newton) 
Merrill, of Barkhamsted, Conn., where she was born 
May 25, 1824. She was a woman of much talent and 
culture, a very devoted daughter, wife and mother. There 
were born to this happy pair ten children, Joseph Lane, 
December 18, 1846; Henry Merlin (named for his 
grandfathers), May 29, 1848; Heman Humphrey, Jr., 
June 22, 1850; James Bolles, December 17, 1851; 
Thomas Seymour, July 28, 1853; Francis Newton, March 
26, 1855; Samuel Barwick Beresford (named for the 
beloved family physician), February 12, 1857; William 
Hungerford, November 7, 1858; Frances E., August 2, 
1861 ; and a son, October 17, 1863. Joseph was born at 
his grandfather Merrill's, in Barkhamsted; Henry in 
Columbus, Ind. ; Heman, Jr., on Windsor street, Hart- 
ford, in the brick house, then known as No. 40, and now 
called No. "120; James, Thomas, Francis, and Samuel, 
on said Windsor street, in the south half of brick house, 
then known as No. 35, and now called No. 105; the 
other children (including the second wife's), were born 
in the brick house on the east side of Windsor Avenue, 
Hartford, second one north of Pavilion street. (I think 
these statements as to precise places of birth must be of 
interest to the families concerned). At the time of 
Joseph's birth, the residence of the family was in Colum- 
bus, Ind., but Mr. Barbour was in the Mexican War, 
adjutant of a regiment, having enlisted at the beginning 
of the war. He obtained a furlough to come east, to be 
present at the natal ceremonies. Joseph was named for 
Joseph Lane, a general in that war. Mr. Barbour was 
fond of western life and manners — entered much into 
politics out there ; was in the state senate, and talked of 
for Congress, anei would hav^e preferred to remain there; 





HEMAN H. BARBOUR 



HENRY S. BARBOUR 





SYLVESTER P.ARl'.OUK inJWAkl) P. BAkHOL R 

The four sons of Henry and Naomi Barbour in the order of their ages. 



BARBOURS REMINISCENCES 107 

but, that discouraging ailment, iever and ague, then very 
prevalent in Indiana and the new west generally,^so af- 
fected his wife's health, that he found it necessary to 
change his residence ; and he decided to return east, and 
he located in Hartford in April, 1850. 

Of this branch of the family there have died, Francis 
Newton, April 23, 1857; Samuel, November 15, 1859; 
Frances E., September 9, 1861; the mother and infanc 
son at the birth of the latter, October 17, 1863; James, 
October 5, 1869; and William, December 3, 1898. The 
mother and infant were buried in one casket. On Sammie's 
tombstone is this epitaph, " Our boys still number seven, 
five on earth, two in heaven"; a thought suggested by 
Wordsworth's beautiful poem, " We are Seven." Wil- 
liam was named for William Hungerford, Hartford's 
distinguished lawyer, who, on learning of the christening, 
was so pleased that he sent the father fifty dollars, as a 
present to the child. 

On May 9, 1865, Mr. Barbour was married to Myra 
Ann, daughter of William Frazer Barker, of Hartford, 
a brother of Ludlow Barker, and to them were born three 
children, Clarence Augustus, April 21, 1867; John Bap- 
tiste, June 24, 1869;' and Edith Gertrude, March 15, 
1874, the latter dying October 23, 1874. Mrs. Barbour, 
an estimable Christian woman, had been associated with 
Mr. Barbour in Sunday-school and other church work in 
the North Baptist church, in Hartford. She was left a 
widow on June 29, 1875, her elder son then being only 
eight years old. For a time she resided in Hartford, until 
the graduation from the high school of the elder son, then 
moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where she remained 
until the graduation of both sons from Brown University. 
She now resides in Rochester, New York, in the family of 
her son, Clarence. 

Some allusion is made in the Fifty-Year article, on 
page 17, to Mr. Barbour's political work in Connecticut, 



108 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

and, in the address a! the funeral of the sister, Lucy, to 
his philanthropic work, which was extensive. As a lawyer, 
he was in the front rank in Hartford. He was a power- 
ful logician, as the late Hon. Henry C. Robinson ex- 
pressed it, and he relied much on general principles in 
the trial of his cases, thereby winning some important 
ones, for which no precedents could be found in the re- 
ports. He was, withal, a very conscientious lawyer, and 
would not take a case until he first became satisfied his 
client was in the right; he declined to bring any divorce 
case, except on the one scriptural ground — adultery, 
thereby manifesting his acceptance of the teachings of the 
Bible, as the rule of his life in all matters. 

JOSEPH LANE BARBOUR. 

Joseph's fame as a lawyer and public speaker is more 
than state-wide. He is most attractive and convincing to 
a jury, in happiest relations with the judges and lawyers, 
the sharpest tilts with the latter being quickly forgotten 
by the participants, because not prompted by personal 
hatred, but by momentary excitement; impassioned, dra- 
matic, keenest in wit, and aptest as a story teller on the 
political platform ; unsurpa~ssed in making and clinching 
points; and in such demand in political campaigns that 
no hall can be found large enough to hold the crowds 
that flock to hear him. His work is always most intense, 
and, vigorous as he is, he would ere this have collapsed, 
if he did not in summer time, for a month or two, steal 
away from his work, into the mountains or onto the ocean 
where his clients cannot finci him. He is as simple, un- 
artificial, natural in manner as a child. This is no over- 
drawn picture of the man, in the delineation of which I 
believe I am not in the least influenced by the relationship 
existing between us. 

Joseph practiced for a while in New Britain in com- 
pany with his brother, Heman, and was a member of the 




ESTHER C. PERRY 







.>**•: 





JOSEPH L. BARBOUR REV. HEMAN H. BARBOUR, JR. 

Cousins of the above-named lady 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 1 09 

Common Council there for a time. In 1877 he was clerk 
of the House, and of the Senate in 1878 and 1879. In 
1884 he was prosecuting attorney of the city of Hartford. 
He was a member of the House from Hartford in 1897, 
when he was made Speaker, remarking in his address on 
taking the chair, that it was the happiest moment of his 
life. He belongs to the Masonic order, being a Knight 
Templar. 

On June 21, 1871, Joseph was married to Anne Jane, 
daughter of Oliver and Jane E. Woodhouse, of Hartford, 
her father then and for years before being assistant post- 
master of Hartford. Anne was born in Hartford, August 
21, 1 85 I. There have been born to this pair five children, 
all in Hartford, viz.: Frances, July 25, 1872; Robert 
Woodhouse, February 13, 1877; Richard Joseph, March 
13, 1879; Florence Anne, February 19, 1881; and Edwin 
Parker, May 23, 1886. Frances is unmarried and resides 
with her parents. Robert is unmarried, and now living 
in the state of Washington. "On November 11, 1903, 
Florence was married to Arthur R., son of Rev. Dr. 
George R. Van De Water, of New York, and they have 
one child, Dorothy, born December 9, 1904. Richard 
died July 6, 1880, and Edwin, May 18, 1887. 

HENRY MERLIN BARBOUR. 

Mr. Barbour was educated in the public schools of 
Hartford, and in Trinity College, of which he is a gradu- 
ate. He Is an Episcopal clergyman, having had pastorates 
in New Jersey, and is now rector of The Church of the 
Beloved Disciple, in New York City. On June 27, 1872, 
he was married to Harriet Deming, and to them have 
been born these children, Henry Grosvenor, November 
15, 1873; Elizabeth Sumner, July 21, 1877; Catharine 
Hutchinson, xAugust 15, 1879; Margaret Mary Clymer, 
May 31, 1887; and Myron Wallace Wilson, December 
27, 1890. The first named child Is dead. Elizabeth 
was married to Hutchinson Southgate, January 19, 1898. 



no BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

HEMAN HUMPHREY BARBOUR, Jr. 

He received his preparatory education in the pubHc 
schools of Hartford, and then read law. He practiced in 
New Britain, Hartford and Norwalk. Conn., from 187 1 
to 1880, and was very successful. His success was due 
largely to his wonderful oratorical gift, backed by in- 
domitable energy and perseverance, and his great sincerity. 
He was always working; at night he often wrote out and 
committed to memory his arguments to be addressed to 
the jury, so that he might be concise in delivery and have 
every word mean something. In build and pose he much 
resembled the " Little Giant," Stephen A. Douglas, Lin- 
coln's powerful adversary on many a hard fought political 
battlefield. While practicing law he had had much suc- 
cess, and his leaving the legal profession seemed to many 
a mistake, as it involved a great financial sacrifice; but, 
he hac^ had a visitation from heaven, similar to that ex- 
perience by St. Paul, and, like the latter, he became con- 
vinced that it was his duty to preach the gospel, and that 
was an end of the controversy in his mind over the matter. 

He was ordained to the ministry, after a preparatory 
course, and held pastorates as follows, namely: over the 
North Baptist church, in Newark, New Jersey, 1880- 
1886; Trinity Baptist Church, Camden, New Jersey, 
1 887-1 888; Belden Avenue Baptist church, Chicago, 111., 
1 888-1 894; First Baptist church, Lockport, New York, 
1 894-1 896; First Baptist church, Columbus, Ohio, 1896- 
1904; and again North Baptist church, Newark, New 
Jersey, 1904- 1905. His number of pastorates should 
not be taken as an evidence that he was, as a preacher, 
unpopular, for, as a preacher, he was much esteemed; but 
it was his delight to take a church that needed an Infusion 
of new life, which, in his work, generally resulted In an 
increased membership, and, In some Instances, in the build- 
ing of new church edifices. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES m 

On January 26, 1869, he was married to Frances 
Emma Luther, of Berlin, Conn., and to them were born 
three children, James Joseph, December 28, 1869; Ernest 
Luther, September 24, 1871; and Elizabeth Humphrey, 
July 7, 1873. On July 13, 1890, Ernest was married to 
Mertie May Clow, and to them have been born two chil- 
dren, Neva Vaughan, November 20, 1892; and Olga 
Clow, October 19, 1894. On October 18, 1891, Elizabeth 
was married to Frank Lynde. 

On June 10, 1889, Heman, Jr., was married to 
Gertrude Annie Mahan, of Chicago, and to them were 
born four children, namely: Helen Sampson, January 
^7> ^§93' "^ Chicago; Humphrey M., December 13, 
1894, in Lockport, N. Y.; Roger Merrill, February 28, 
1897; and Lorraine O., January 5, 1900, the last two in 
Columbus, Ohio. 

In his battling with an incurable, painful malady for 
a year or two before he died, Mr. Barbour resembled that 
great soldier and sufferer from a like disease. General 
Grant, and his heroism, like that of the general, elicited 
the wonder and sympathy of his many acquaintances, and 
of the public generally. The general at Mount McGregor 
was struggling to complete his Memoirs before his death; 
and Mr. Barbour, from his sick bed, In his affection for his 
church, painfully prepared sermons to be read from his 
pulpit. 

In the great affliction arising from the loss of her 
husband, there remains to the widow the solace derived 
from the possession of four bright children, whom she Is 
struggling to keep together, and properly rear and educate. 
She now resides at Bloomington, Indiana. 

JAMES JOSEPH BARBOUR. 

This son of Heman, Jr., was born in Hartford, in 
one of the dwelling-houses his grandfather built, on the 
east side of Barbour street, a street laid out by the latter, 



112 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

and named by the city, as a token of respect for him. 
James went to Chicago to practice law, was there married 
on September 2, 1891, to Lillian Clayton, and there have 
been born to them three children, Justin Fulton, December 
30, 1892; Heman Humphrey, May 27, 1894; and Eliza- 
beth, May 25, 1900. On January 19, 1904, he was 
appointed assistant state's attorney by the Hon. Charles 
S. Deneen, then state's attorney of Cook County, 111., 
and now governor of that state; was reappointed by 
Hon. John J. Healy, present state's attorney, in December, 
1904, and became first assistant In 1907. He Is evidently 
In the line of promotion to the state's attorneyship. He 
has conducted the prosecution of important cases, with 
extraordinary ability and success. In moderate stature, 
and unpretentious manners, he Is like his distinguished 
namesake uncle, and, when roused for the fray, like him, 
is a formidable adversary In the court room. 

From earliest boyhood he has had an ambition to suc- 
ceed as an advocate. All his reading has been directed to 
that end. He has made it a point to study the biographies 
of statesmen, and great lawyers, to read the literature of 
eventful trials, and, whenever possible, to come Into per- 
sonal relation with those who have been truly successful 
in life, so that he may be Influenced by their example and 
precept. Hard work at all times has had much to do with 
bringing results. One of the important trials he has 
lately conducted was that of the prosecution of the ex- 
chief of police and his attorney, for conspiracy. 

THOMAS SEYMOUR BARBOUR. 

He Is a Baptist clergyman, Is a doctor of divinity, and 
has held different pastorates. He Is now connected with 
the mission work of the Baptist denomination, being cor- 
responding secretary of the Foreign* Department, with 
central oflSce In Boston. On September 4, 1877, he was 
married to Emma J. White, and to them were born chll- 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 113 

dren, as follows: Louise Huntley, September 19, 1880; 
Harris Merrill, September 6, 1884; Florence White, 
Februarys 4, 1888; and Gertrude Frances, May 18, 1889. 
Louise was married to Rev. Randall T. Capen, on May 
I, 1903. She died March 11, 1904, leaving an infant 
child. Mr. Barbour's very extraordinary benignity of 
character is conspicuously depicted on his countenance, and 
tenderly exhibited in his manners. Such a man must be 
loved by all who know him. 

WILLIAM HUNGERFORD BARBOUR. 

He was educated in the public schools of Hartford, 
and followed a business life; his last place of residence 
being in the south. He was married, and there are four 
children, issue of the marriage: Milton, born in 1886; 
Genevieve Merrill, born in 1889; William Hungerford, 
Jr., born in 1892; and Joseph Lane, 2d, born in 1897. 
He died December 3, 1898, leaving a widow and children. 

CLARENCE AUGUSTUS BARBOUR. 

This son graduated from the Hartford High school in 
1884; from Brown University in 1888; from Rochester 
Theological Seminary in 1891 ; and has been pastor of the 
Lake Avenue Baptist church of Rochester, since 1891. 
When he assumed this pastorate, the membership of the 
church was a little short of five hundred; it is now a little 
over eleven hundred. He is an able preacher, and beloved 
as a pastor. Bible school work has always been a promi- 
nent feature in the church, and the school is one of the 
largest in the city, and, indeed, in the Baptist denomina- 
tion in New York state. He has also interested himself 
as a citizen, and has been influential in the change of the 
Rochester public school system from one that was no- 
toriously bad, to one holding rank among the very best 



114 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



in the country. One of his ambitions at the beginning of 
his ministry was, to be known as a man's man, and such 
he has proved to be in the highest meaning of that term. 
On June 28, 1891, he was married to Florence Isa- 
belle Newell, of Providence, Rhode Island, and they have 
four children, born as follows: Eric Newell, May 26, 
1892; Ethel Wilbur, August 19, 1893; Myra Seymour, 
March 3, 1895; and Harold Robinson, August 27, 1896. 
He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the 
University of Rochester, June 19, 1901. He received the 
33d and last degree of Masonry from the Supreme 
Council of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, on Septem- 
ber 17, 1907. Mr. Barbour is very felicitous on Memorial 
day occasions. His address at Rochester this year was 
on the theme. The Immortal Words of President Lincoln 
at Gettysburg. 



JOHN BAPTISTE BARBOUR. 

Mr. Barbour graduated from Providence, Rhode 
Island, high school in 1887; from Brown University in 
1 891; and from the Rochester Theological Seminary in 
1896. He has held pastorates as follows: in Geneva, 
Syracuse and Mumford, New York; and in Erie, Penn., 
where he is now pastor of the Calvary Baptist church. 
On July 13, 1896, he was married to Lois Preston Wray, 
of Rochester, and they have three children, born as 
follows: Marion Harrison, July 12, 1897; Ruth, No- 
vember 26, 1900; and Dorothy Wray, April 21, 1905. 
Mr. Barbour has a singularly strong gift of organization. 
In all of his pastorates, his systematic and wise handling 
of the forces of the church has shown large and important 
results. He is very strong among the young people. He 
has a genuine gift of clear, concise and forceful utterance, 
and preaches much without manuscript. He is an ardent 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 115 

worker in the field of temperance, in that respect follow- 
ing the example of his distinguished father. 

(If, in the divine arrangement, that is permissible, 
with what delight must the father of these five ministerial 
sons have watched their careers!) 

HENRY STILES BARBOUR. 

This brother was admitted to the bar in i 849, and then 
located in Torrington, the village part of the town then 
being called Wolcottville, where he remained till 1870, 
when he removed to Hartford, and formed a partnership 
with the older brother, Heman, which continued till the 
death of the latter. He built up a large practice in Litch- 
field County, and was so beloved in Torrington, that there 
was general mourning of the people there when he left. At 
the meeting of the bar in Hartford,- to take notice of Mr. 
Barbour's death, the Hon. Frank L. Hungerford, a native 
of Torrington, a member of the very prominent family of 
John Hungerford, and in the practice of law there for a 
time before he came to New Britain, spoke thus affection- 
ately of Mr. Barbour: "I have known Judge Barbour 
since my earliest childhood, as I was born in Torrington 
where he had practiced law for many years, and during 
my minority he was my guardian. He was the man of 
the town, and prominent in church matters. Every one 
looked up to him, and thought when they had his opinion 
on any matter, they had all that could be gotten anywhere. 
He was a man of great knowledge and ex- 
cellent judgment." Judge McConville, who had read law 
with him, and had been for years in his office, said of him: 
" he never had an unkind word to say of any one. He 
loved his fellow men, and delighted to help them. . . . 
He died as he had lived, a patient, upright, Christian 
gentleman." The Hon. John Hooker said of him: "He 
was one of the best probate lawyers in the state." 



Il6 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

Mr. Barbour held the offices of town clerk and judge 
of probate much of the time he resided in Torrington. 
He represented the town in the House in 1850 and 1865, 
and the old Fifteenth Senatorial district in 1870. Prior 
to that year it had been the practice to allow the lieutenant- 
governor, as president of the senate, to appoint its com- 
mittees. That year the democrats had the state officers 
(Julius Hotchkiss being lieutenant-governor), and the 
republicans had a small majority of the senators. Mr. 
Barbour proposed that the senate should appoint its com- 
mittees, as was the custom in the United States Senate, 
and that practice was then adopted, and has been con- 
tinued since In Connecticut. Mr. Barbour was made 
chairman of the Judiciary Committee, which position he 
filled most creditably. 

While living In Torrington, Mr. Barbour was much 
talked of for judge of the superior court, a position he 
was exceptionally well qualified for, having the judicial 
mind and temperament similar to that possessed by the 
late Judge Dwight Loomis. While in Hartford, his firm 
was attorney for the Connecticut Valley Railroad Com- 
pany while it was securing Its rights of way and building 
the road; and it was attorney for the Charter Oak Life 
Insurance Company while it was having most important 
matters litigated; and was attorney for the town of Hart- 
ford during the time the question of the title to the Stone 
Pits, a matter so important to Hartford, was being de- 
termined by a suit in the superior court, the firm associating 
with itself in the trial, the Hon. Charles E. Perkins, the 
trial being by jury, and occupying many days, Hartford 
winning In the sharp contest. 

On November 25, 1851, Mr. Barbour was married 
to Pamela J. Bartholomew, who was born December 28, 
1827. There were born to them three children, all in 
Torrington, John Humphrey, May 29, 1854; Lucy 
Amelia, May 6, 1863; and Edward Willis, May 2, 1857. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 117 

The last named, a bright and very attractive child, died 
May 28, 1 86 1, from which blow Mr. Barbour never re- 
covered before his own death, which occurred September 
21, 1 89 1. Mrs. Barbour, who had been his loving help- 
mate, and who was greatly esteemed by a widely extended 
circle of acquaintances, died August 27, 1899. 

JOHN HUMPHREY BARBOUR. 

This son possessed a sweetness of disposition, and 
gentleness of manners that made him beloved by all who 
knew him. From very early childhood, he had an inquir- 
ing mind, and soon became a very close student of general 
literature and the sciences, about which he was a very 
entertaining conversationalist. His preparation for college 
was thorough; he Avas for a time in Amherst college, and 
graduated from Trinity college in 1873, and from 
Berkeley Divinity school in 1876. In 1899 he received 
the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Trinity college. 
He began his ministry in the Episcopal church in Park- 
ville, Connecticut, and subsequently became a professor 
in Berkeley Divinity school, which position he held till his 
death. 

On May 7, 1878, Mr. Barbour was married to Annie 
Gray, daughter of John S. Gray, of Hartford, and to them 
were born four children, Ellen Gray, May 4, 1879; 
Henry Gray, March 28, 1886; Paul Humphrey, Septem- 
ber 13, 1888; and a child that died in infancy. On May 
14, 1907, Ellen was married to Doctor Walter A. Glines, 
now doing hospital work In Panama, and on May 7, 1908, 
? daughter was born to them, baptismal name, Elizabeth. 
Henry graduated from Trinity college, in class of 1906, 
and is pursuing study for becoming a physician. Paul 
is in Trinity college, class of 1909, and purposes to enter 
the ministry. Mr. Barbour died April 29, 1900. 



ri8 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

LUCY AMELIA BARBOUR. 

She possesses the characteristics of her father and 
brother John, and, like them, is held in high esteem. To 
native charm of manners is added much culture. A few 
years since she established on Beacon street, Hartford, 
and has since successfully carried on, a private school for 
fitting girls for college. 

LUCY BARBOUR (LANE). 

On November 9, 1846, my sister Lucy was married 
to Henry Pratt Lane, who was born in Hartland, Conn., 
February 29, 1820. They celebrated their golden wedding 
on November 9, 1 896. There were born to them four chil- 
dren, Albert Henry, March 5, 1851; Sylvester Barbour, 
January 25, 1859; Willis Augustin, August 28, 1865; 
and Wallace Stiles, March 17, 1867. Sylvester died June 
8, 1864, Wallace, December 2, 1890, and Albert, Decem- 
ber 30, 1899. The family first resided in Collirisville, 
where Mr. Lane held a good position in Collins Company's 
works; afterward for a time he owned and carried on the 
farm opposite that of his wife's father. He died April 
6, 1900, and his wife July 9, 1902. The afflictions of the 
family, and the characteristics of Mrs. Lane are mentioned 
in the funeral address, copied from The Times, to be read 
in connection with this sketch. 



[Hartford Times, July 12, 1902.] 



TRIBUTE BY JUDGE Bx\RBOUR. 



Delivered at Funeral of His Sister, Mrs. Lucy 
Barbour Lane, at Canton. 



The funeral of Mrs. Lucy Barbour Lane was at- 
tended at the Congregational church at Canton Center, 
this afternoon. Mrs. Lane, who died in Talcottville on 
Wednesday, was the widow of Henry P. Lane of Can- 
ton, of which town she was a native and for many years 
a resident. Her father, Henry Barbour, was a native and 
lifelong resident of Canton, and was first cousin of the 
grandfather of General Lucius A. Barbour of Hartford; 
and her mother, Naomi Humphrey, was a native of 
Burlington, a sister of the Rev. Heman Humphrey, D.D., 
second president of Amherst College, and first cousin 
of John Brown. Two of Mrs. Lane's brothers, the late 
Judges Heman H. and Henry S. Barbour, who died a 
few years ago, were well known lawyers of Hartford, and 
two of her sisters. Miss Julia E. Barbour and Mrs. Eliza 
N. Sexton, invalids for many years, were well known to 
many people in Hartford and vicinity. Mrs. Lane leaves 
only one child, Willis A. Lane, with whom she resided 
since the death of her husband, two years ago. 

The Rev. Clarence H. Barber of Manchester, whose 
father was first cousin to the deceased, preached a sermon 
at the funeral this afternoon. At the close of the dis- 
course. Judge Sylvester Barbour of Hartford, the only 
living brother, made an address, speaking as follows: 

Judge Barbour's Tribute to His Sister's Memory. 
My friends: Before we go to the churchyard, to com- 
plete these funeral rites, I wish to add to the minister's 



I20 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

words a few of my own, such as my extraordinary situation 
suggests, and by way of reminiscence and just eulogy. 

As you know, I alone remain of our large family. 
Death first entered it in January, 1863, taking my beloved 
mother, my father following six years later. In 1875, 
when the youngest of the nine children was 40 years old, 
my brother Heman, though the most robust of all, was 
cut down In midlife, by reason of having for years added 
to his exacting professional labors philanthropic work, 
including that of rescuing the inebriate and reforming the 
criminal. Afterward, one after another passed away, the 
death of my brother Edward, which occurred seven years 
ago, leaving this sister and myself alone remaining, each 
of us wondering which of us would be the survivor. Since 
December, 1898, when she was stricken with what seemed 
to be a fatal sickness, she had been an invalid, patiently 
and calmly awaiting her release, which came to her on 
Wednesday morning, when, as If dropping into a peaceful 
sleep, she passed away, at the age of 78 years and 63 days. 

Added to my deep sense of sadness and loneliness there 
comes over me a feeling of amazement, such as I would 
expect to have were I the sole survivor of a shipwreck 
at sea ; and it Is with no affectation that I say, this provi- 
dence, exercised in behalf of the least deserving of our 
family, is a mystery I cannot solve. 

(That this sister ever manifested a most kindly dis- 
position, free from every appearance of jealousies, envy, 
or enmity of any sort toward any one, I think I may 
truly affirm; and I believe that many, if not all of her 
numerous acquaintances In this and other communities 
where she lived and was known would say that she 
was so generous, so unselfish, that she more than fulfilled 
the Scriptural Injunction to love her neighbor as herself. 
As one who knew her well has said of her: "Her 
thoughts seemed never to be for herself, but always for 
others." This remark contains no extravagant encomium. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 121 

To the sick, the hungry, the friendless she was ev'er a 
helpful and devoted friend, and the epitaph at the tomb 
of the self-sacrificing brother referred to would be most 
appropriate at hers: "Good Samaritan: Inasmuch as 
ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, 
ye have done it unto me." 

I would that my thoughts might follow these departed 
kindred into the Beyond; but between it and me there is 
a veil, impenetrable even to my faith. There remain to 
me, however, most pleasant memories of them all, and if 
their death was only the beginning of a new life, I am con- 
fident it is well with them now, for they lived righteously, 
and this world is the better for their having lived in it.) 

It seems to me most fit that this sister should be 
buried from this sacred spot. This house is the first church 
edifice she ever saw; here, in infancy, she received baptism 
from the devout and venerated Hallock, then pastor of 
the church; here, in early childhood, she first heard the 
gospel preached and received lasting impressions from 
the solemnity of the service, ev^en if she did not under- 
stand the words uttered; here she was a Sunday-school 
scholar and teacher; here, in mature life, she took upon 
herself Christian vow^s and spent many of her happiest 
hours in worship; here, nearly fifty-six years ago, as a 
preliminary to marriage, she was " published " from the 
pulpit by her beloved pastor, Burt, the law of the state 
then requiring proclamation of intended marriage, to be 
made at least eight days before the nuptial ceremony, by 
a notice read in meeting or posted on or near the church, 
in public view; and from here were borne her husband, 
three children, her parents, and three sisters to the hal- 
lowed ground across the street, where, with them, she will 
soon be at rest. 

Respected neighbors and friends : Now, that the grave 
is about to close over the last of our family whom you 
will assist to bur>', I wish to bear testimony to your very 



122 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

many kindnesses to us as a family, every one of whom, 
if they could now join me in word, I am sure would say, 
Accept our heartfelt thanks, and may the Good Lord 
richly reward you. And I should be false to my feelings 
if I did not also express thanks to our beloved kinsman, 
who, for the second time in the funeral experience of our 
family, has come here today, to speak to us words so 
eminently fitting on such an occasion. 

NOTE. 

The following is copied from " Trumbull's " article in the 
Connecticut supplement of the New York Herald, Sunday, July 
20, 1902: 

" Brother and Sister. 

Mrs. Lucy Barbour Lane, who died recently at Canton, this 
state, was a member of a very prominent Connecticut family. 
Her father was a native of Canton, and her mother, Naomi 
Humphrey, was a sister of Rev. Heman Humphrey, D.D., second 
president of Amherst College. Two of Mrs. Lane's brothers, 
Judges Heman H. and Henry S. Barbour, were lawyers in Hart- 
ford. Another brother, Judge Sylvester Barbour, of. Hartford, is 
the only living member of the family. At the funeral in Canton, 
after the clergyman had delivered his sermon. Judge Barbour 
addressed the assembled relatives and friends. It was an unusual 
occurrence, but parts of his panegyric are worthy of preservation. 
He said in part: — " [Trvimbull copies so much of the address as 
is included in the parenthesis.] 

S. B. 

WILLIS AUGUSTIN LANE. 

This son of Henry P. and Lucy Barbour Lane, spent 
his early life on the farm. On August 28, 1891, his 26th 
birthday, he was married to Mary Leveria Stoneburner, 
of Harbor Springs, Mich. She was born April 11, 1866. 
There have been born to them two children, Cecille May, 
February 21, 1893; and Dana Abrams, January 16, 
1895; the former died January 10, 1894. Mr. Lane 
for a time engaged in the grocery business, in Hartford. 
Financial embarrassment coming upon him, he was obliged 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 123 

to suspend, and, without attempting to arrange with his 
creditors, so as to save something for himself, he made 
an assignment in bankruptcy, and turned all his property 
over for the benefit of his creditors. At the meeting of 
the creditors for the choice of a trustee, there was such an 
apparently honest showing by him of his affairs, that he 
was advised by one of the creditors, who professed to 
know something of the feeling of other creditors, to make 
an offer of ten per cent., as a compromise; but, he said, 
" No, my creditors are entitled to every dollar of my 
estate, and they shall have it." His wife, who had been 
a considerable financial loser in the mercantile venture, 
joined with him in the declaration, with the result that the 
creditors received 42 cents on the dollar, on the closing up 
of the estate. 

Afterward Mr. Lane clerked it for a while in Rockville, 
then was connected with Talcott Brothers, in Talcottvllle, 
for a time, then became superintendent of the Ellington 
Alms House; and, upon such favorable report of his 
reputation in that position as was made, he was applied to 
to take the position he now occupies, that of superintendent 
of the Town Home, in New Britain. Without his knowl- 
edge, I copy from the Hartford Courant of June 4th, 
from a report of an examination of "that institution, con- 
ducted by the Mayor, the Charity Commissioners, and a 
large delegation from the Common Council, these words: 
" They found the institution conducted in admirable shape 
by Supt. and Mrs. W. A. Lane. They were all much 
pleased with the trip, and everything about the building 

was neat and wholesome The visitors went all 

through the home, and the inspection was a thorough one." 
Mr. Lane is an honest man, and there is no danger of there 
being any graft scandal connected with any official position 
he may occupy. 

Mr. Lane Is an Odd Fellow, a member of a lodge In 
Hartford. 



124 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

PLUMA BARBOUR. 

On November 8, 1848, she was married to Samuel 
Douglas Garrett, of New Hartford, Conn, (the family 
now spell the name with the addition of an e). He was 
born February 8, 18 18. They first resided in Ohio, then 
in Iowa, and afterward in Maryland. There were born 
to them five children, Joseph Warren, January 28, 1850; 
John Frank, January 30, 1852; Florilla Naomi, June 11, 
1855; Eliza Jane, March 23, 1857; and Cora Juliaette, 
June 10, 1859. The father was a great reader, an ad- 
mirer of General Joseph Warren, for whom he named 
his first-born child. He and his wife were both possessed of 
most extraordinary equanimity. If there were ever a 
spirit of resentment in their minds, it was not allowed to 
have expression; and, as an honor to them, I prefer to 
believe that the absence of that outward manifestation was 
due in part to self-repression. Their self-control was so 
complete, I doubt if their children can recall a sharp, cross 
word of reproof ever received from either parent. They 
governed their children largely by their quiet, uniformly 
passionless example. How beautifully does such parental 
conduct contrast with what is sometimes witnessed, where 
children are scolded and nagged, and thereby made very 
unhappy at the time of the administration of reproof, and 
permanently soured in disposition. Mr, Garrette died in 
Maryland August 26, 1881, as the result of a severe com- 
pound fracture of his leg, resulting in amputation and 
blood-poisoning. His wife died in Ansonia, Conn., Feb- 
ruary 20, 1892. 

JOSEPH WARREN GARRETTE. 

Joseph inherits his parents' peaceful traits. He is as- 
sociated in business with the Bill Brothers Company, 
of Hartford, expressmen. On April 19, 1877, he was 
married to Virginia Redhead, of Maryland, born Decem- 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 12c 

ber 25, 1846, and they have one child, Edward Douglas, 
who was born August 24, 1880, and who was married to 
Susan Walker Cowles, of Hartford, on October 4, 1905. 
They reside in Hartford, and have no children. 

JOHN FRANK GARRETTE. 

He has had a successful mercantile business career; 
is a member of the firm of Miner, Read and Garrette, 
carrying on a large business In New Haven. On October 
15, 1879, he was married to Harriet Harris, of South 
Egremont, Mass. She was born December 14, 1856; and 
there have been born to them two children, Elizabeth, 
October 6, 1880; and Ruth, February 28, 1890. Eliza- 
beth was married to Frederick B. Ackley, of East Hamp- 
ton, Conn., on January 14, 1903. He resides in Hartford, 
and is connected in business with his father-in-law. 

FLORILLA NAOMI GARRETTE. 

On April 5, 1875, she was married to Arthur Mun- 
son; they reside at Sound Beach, Conn., and have three 
children, Mary Estelle, born January 27, 1876; Rodney 
Earle, born March 2, 1878; and Myra Ophelia, born 
March 5, 1880. 

ELIZA JANE GARRETTE. 

On February 4, 1878, she was married to Isaac W. 
Robinson, and the family now reside in Worcester, Mass. 
There have been born to them four children, Grace 
Florilla, May i, 1879; Samuel Franklin, September 16, 
1881; Ralph, July 23, 1884; and Cora Belle, August 
24, 1886. On May 30, 1903, Grace was married to 
Harry W. Twigg. On March 30, 1900, Samuel was 
married to Daisey Antoinette French, and they have two 
children, Ernest Elmer, born January 12, 1901; and 
Pluma IvOuise, born March 27, 1902. 



126 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES . 

CORA JULIAETTE GARRETTE. 

On May 28, 1892, she was married to Lafayette 
Madison Gilligan, of Monson, Mass. They reside in 
Milford, Conn., and have no children. 

JULIAETTE BARBOUR. 

She was tall and comely in figure, and inherited the 
Humphrey look and energy. She had great business tact 
and ability. In early womanhood she followed school 
teaching till she became disabled for it, by reason of 
chronic spinal complaint; and then, after a few years, 
became bedridden, and so continued for twenty-six years, 
until her death. In her intense suffering she always ex- 
hibited great fortitude and Christian resignation, and, 
in that way, was a living sermon to all who knew her. 
She was never married. 

SYLVESTER BARBOUR. 

He worked on the farm in boyhood and youth, except 
while at school. After receiving the benefit of the district 
and select schools of the town, he was for a time in the 
Literary institution at Suffield, and finished his preparatory 
education in Williston Seminary. He began the study of 
law in Poughkeepsie law school, and completed it in the 
office of his brother, Heman, in Hartford, as stated on 
page 9. 

On November 27, i860, he was married to Frances 
Amelia, daughter of John Francis and Pamelia J. (Tul- 
lar) Collin, of Hillsdale, New York. There were born 
to them six children, as follows: Lizzie Laurane, Septem- 
ber 21, 1861; Collin Henry, July 6, 1863; Edward 
Humphrey, May 19, 1867; Amy Louise, September 25, 
1869; John Quincy, January 31, 1874; and Frederic 
Ernest, February 25, 1876; the five last named, in 
Ansonia, and the first named, in Hillsdale, New York. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



127 



Four of these children have died, Edward, February 13, 
1869; John, August 15, 1874; Frederic, July 19, 1876; 
and Lizzie, October i, 1886. This daughter was pos- 
sessed of a sweet disposition, and had endeared herself 
to her many acquaintances; her death, which followed 
a sad and mysterious invalidism that had continued for a 
year or two, occurred at her grandfather's home in Hills- 
dale, in the room in which she was born. Collin was 
named for his grandfathers taking the surname of one 
and the Christian name of the other. He is in mercantile 
business in Hartford. On January 25, 1893, he was 
married to Lena Louise Bestor, of Hartford, and they 
have one child, Francis Collin, born December 3, 1894. 

Amy I ouise graduated from the Hartford High 
school, from Smith College, and from Yale College after 
a three years' post graduate course, receiving from Yale 
college the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. After teach- 
ing a few years in Marietta, Ohio, the last part of the 
time in Marietta College after it beacme co-educational, 
and one year in the Hartford High school, she became a 
member of Smith College faculty, and is Greek instructor. 
She spent several months of 1907 in Greece and other 
European countries, having as a companion her classmate, 
Miss Minnie Day Booth, Latin teacher in Miss Lucy 
A. Barbour's school. 

The mother of these children was a gifted woman, 
literary in her tastes, fond of, and an extensive reader of 
the best works of fiction, having read all of Scott's novels 
before she was twelve years old. As a letter and story 
writer, her style was felicitous, and she occasionally con- 
tributed a pleasing story to a newspaper or magazine. She 
was much interested in the work of the Hartford branch 
of the Connecticut Children's Aid Society; and the last 
work of her pen was a poem, written just before she was 
taken sick, to be read, and which after her death (which 
occurred February 6, 1905) , was read, at a meeting of the 



128 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

society, held on Valentine day, to raise funds for the 
work of the society. 

Her parents and one brother (John), are dead; a 
sister (Laurania), Is the widow of Rev. John Braden, 
D.D., who for 33 years was president of Central Tennes- 
see College, Nashville, a large Institution for the education 
of colored people; a brother (Rev. Quincy J. Collin), Is 
residing In Hopklnton, Mass. The father of these chil- 
dren was a life-long democrat, an extensive political writer, 
and for a time a member of Congress, during the adminis- 
tration of President Polk. 

ELIZA NAOMI BARBOUR. 

She was a woman of attractive personality, and at- 
tached to herself very warm friends. In early woman- 
hood she taught school several seasons. In September, 
1 861, as he was about to enlist as a soldier In the Civil 
War, she was married to Henry D. Sexton, a son of Henry 
G. and Clarissa (Barber) Sexton. (Clarissa was a 
daughter of Sadosa Barber, my father's first cousin). 
News came to the young wife in January, 1862, that her 
husband was dying In camp at Annapolis, Md., and she 
went on Immediately, but he had died and was burled 
before she reached there, and It was too late to locate his 
grave, as the burial had been hurried. 

On the sister Juliaette becoming bedridden, Eliza be- 
came her devoted attendant, herself, not long afterward, 
being prostrated in like manner, and so continued until 
her death. Their last years were spent upon cots In a 
private room in the Hartford hospital. Their years of 
sad retirement were very much brightened by the visits 
and ministrations of many very kind and sympathetic 
friends. Eliza died there June 2, 1900, and Juliaette, 
December 23, 1891. Like Saul and Jonathan, they "were 
lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they 
were not [long] divided." 



BARBOUR'S RP:MINISCENCES 129 

EDWARD PAYSON BARBOUR. 

In amiability and gentleness of manners, this brother 
much resembled the brother, Henry Stiles. His early life 
was spent on the farm, and in teaching in winter, this 
continuing until 1869, when he sold the farm to Levi 
Gillette. On April 5, i860, he was married to Emma 
Jane, daughter of Alonzo Barbour, of Canton. She was 
born February 13, 1840. There were born to this pair 
five children, Helen Pamela, April 17, 1861; Frances 
Amelia (familiarly called Minnie), October 10, 1863; 
Alice Maud, November 22, 1872; Edward Payson, Jr., 
November 26, 1877; ^^i^ Henry Alonzo, December 24, 
1880. Helen and Frances were born in Canton. Frances 
died May 26, 1870; and Henry, May 20, 1883. 

After leaving the farm Mr. Barbour established and 
carried on a grocery business in xA.nsonia, where he then 
resided. His three children, Alice, Edward, Jr., and 
Henry were born there. He died there August 5, 1895, 
and his wife. May 24, 1903. 



HELEN PAMELA BARBOUR. ' 

On January i, 1891, she was married to William 
L. L. Ellis, of Ansonia, a much respected farmer. There 
have been born to them three children, Gertrude Josephine, 
May 26, 1893; Harold Barbour, August 22, 1894; and 
Ruth Humphrey, November 11, 1900. 

ALICE MAUD BARBOUR. 

She graduated from the Ansonia public schools, and 
from Wellesley College in 1893. She taught in the public 
schools In Ansonia, six years of the time In the high school; 
and Is now In Washington, D. C, pursuing a special 
course of study. She Is scholarly in her tastes. 
9 



l^o BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

EDWARD PAYSON BARBOUR, Jr. 

He was educated in the public schools in Ansonia, and 
is carrying on the mercantile business established by his 
father. On September 3, 1902, he was married to Agnes 
E. Hawthgrne, of Ansonia. They have no children. 

BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF HENRY BAR- 
BOUR. 

They were twelve in number (himself making thir- 
teen), ten of whom lived to adult years and were married, 
namely, Seth, born in 1788; Clarinda, bom in 1789; 
Linda, born in 1791 ; Henry (above named), born March 
12, 1793; Thirza, born June i, 1801; Susan, bom June 
29, 1803; Eliza, born March 25, 1806; Nancy, bom 
January 16, 1808; Jonathan Sherman, bom in 18 12, and 
Harvey, born June 24, 18 14. Of the thirteen children 
two, Abi and Abiah, died in infancy, and one, Pluma, died 
in her youth, just before she was to be married. 

SETH BARBER. 

He was married three times, and there were born to 
him several children. He early settled on a farm in York 
State, and died there suddenly more than fifty years ago, 
dropping dead in the barn where he had gone to feed his 

cattle. 

CLARINDA BARBER. 

She was born in Canton, and on November 11, 1807, 
was married to Colonel Miles Foote, who was bom in 
Canton in March, 1788. There were born to them 
in Canton children, as follows: Laura, June 24, 1809; 
Henry, September 15, 181 5; Lucius, April 5, 18 17; 
Eliza M., March 7, 1823, and John Mills, February 9, 
1827. Laura was married to Augustus H. Carrier, and 



HARBOURS REMINISCENCES i -^ i 

they had one child, I.ucy M., born in Canton in 1848. 
Henn' and John married sisters, the former, Lemira 
Woodruff, in 1836, and the latter, Savllla Woodruff, May 
13, 1 85 1. Henry settled in Illinois and died there in 
1886. John Mills latterly resided in West Hartford, 
Conn., where he died June 16, 1899. His wife is still 
living there in quite good health. Their only child is 
John Mills, Jr. 

Col. Foote and all his sons were extensive dealers in 
live stock, the Colonel being a noted horseback rider. At 
the Canton Centennial Celebration in 1876, he rode at 
the head of the procession, and was in the saddle most 
of the day, though then 88 years old. He died September, 
1878. 

JOHN MILLS FOOTE, JR. 

He takes pride in the fact that he was born in Canton, 
that important event in his life having occurred January 
12, 1858. He has been a resident in West Hartford many 
years, and until 1907, when he declined a re-election, he 
had been for years a constable and the tax collector in 
that town. He has been deputy sheriff seventeen years, 
having been first appointed by Sheriff Preston, a democrat, 
though himself a republican ; was then appointed by 
Sheriff Spaulding for four years, then by Sheriff Smith for 
two terms, eight years, and in June, 1907, by Sheriff 
Dewev. As an officer he is efficient and trustworthy, as a 
citizen, active and patriotic. 

On October 12, 1882, he was married to Helen An- 
netta, daughter of Edward Stanley, of West Hartford, 
and there have been born to them three children, all in 
West Hartford, Edward Mills, October 25, 1885; Elliott 
Stanley, April 20, 1889; and Helen Selden, May 30, 
1892. 

Mr. Foote is a 3 2d degree Mason, and his prominent 
connection with the order is thus shown : Wyllys Lodge, 



132 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



No. 99, A. F. and A. M.; Pythagoras Chapter, No. 17, 
R. A. M.; Washington Commandery, No. i, K. T. ; 
Conn. Sovereign Consistory, S. P. R. S. ; Sphinx Temple, 
A. A. O. N. M. S. 

LINDA BARBER. 

She was a woman of serene temper, was married to 
Uriah Hosford, long-time most highly respected deacon 
of the Canton Center Congregational Church. They had 
no children. Her mother, Abi (Merrill) Barber (whom 
I vividly remember as very fond of those brown sticks 
of hoarhound candy, and as accustomed to sit in conversa- 
tion, plaiting and re-plaiting her checkered pocket hand- 
kerchief), spent her last years in her family, and died 
there in 1848. This mother was left a widow, with a 
large family of small children, whom she wisely reared. 
She was a brave woman, sometimes riding alone to Hart- 
ford, eighteen miles, on horseback, with her saddle-bags, 
for bringing home goods. On one occasion, she assisted 
in the amputation of a man's arm, holding the vessel to 
catch the dripping blood while the doctor did his work. 
That was before the days of anesthesia, when courage 
of the highest quality was indispensable. 

THIRZA BARBER. 

This sister of my father was married to Isaac Barnes, 
a highly respected farmer, of New Hartford, Conn. 
There was born to them one child, Eliza P., July 4, 1833. 
She was married to Alfred E. Merrill, of New Hartford, 
May I, 1853. There were born to them four children, 
Charles Alfred, April 9, 1856; Ida Helen, September 24, 
1858; Jessie Eliza, July 26, 1866; and Fannie Kate, 
November 24, 1870. These children • were married as 
follows, Charles to Loretta J. Mason, October, 1876; Ida 
to Charles J. Healey February 11, 1889; Jessie to Stephen 
T. Kellogg December 28, 1892; and Fannie to Wilbur M. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



133 



Beckwith, December 20, 1898. Mr. Barnes died Novem- 
ber 15, 1865, aged 77 years, his wife died May, 1887, 
their daughter, EHza, February 14, 1904, and her husband 
May 5, 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Beckwith reside in Nepaug, 
New Hartford, 

SUSAN BARBER. 

On March 2, 1825, she was married to Imri Lester 
Spencer, who was born April 15, 1803. She was a quiet 
woman, a devoted wife and mother, finding her highest 
joy in making her home a happy one. Mr. Spencer was 
a kind hearted man, of pleasing manners, highly respected, 
much interested and versed in public affairs; was first a 
whig, then a republican, and represented Canton in the 
house in 1847, his residence then being in the northeast 
part of the town, on a high elevation, commanding an 
extensive, beautiful view. He there carried on farming, 
and there his children were born. Afterward for a few 
years, he resided in Bloomfield, and there conducted a 
general store, then moved to Waterbury and carried on 
a store there. 

There were born to this happy pair, six children, as 
follows, Amos L., December 25, 1825; Susan, December 
22, 1828; Hannah, April 3, 1831; Jane, February 16, 
1836; Imri A., May 3, 1842; and Jonathan Barber 
(named for a brother of the mother), August i, 1844; 
Jane died January 10, 1839; and Jonathan, October 13, 
1847. O" September 3, 1852, the daughter, Susan, was 
married to Franklin C, son of Chester Moses, who was 
a brother of Chauncey Moses, of North Canton. She 
died January 27, 1853. 

The father of these children died September 5, 1870, 
his wife, March 9, 1888, just before the great blizzard. 
They are buried in Canton Center cemetery. A note- 
worthy incident connected with the funeral of the latter is 
that, while en route for Canton by cars, they became stalled 



1.34 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



in snow drifts, and went back to Waterbury and waited 
for the roads to be opened. 

AMOS L. SPENCER. 
He was married to Mary Ann, daughter of Harvey 
INlills, of Canton, on April 3, 1849. She was born Janu- 
ary 15, 1 83 1. They resided for years in Canton, and 
then moved to Manchester, Conn. There were children 
as follows, Helen Maria (adopted), born April 7, 1856; 
Susan Mariam, born October 23, 1859; Hattie Jane, born 
February 20, 1861; and Marion May, born December 
29, 1865. (Unmarried.) Hattie died September 28, 
1863; Susan died May 13, 1880. Helen was married to 
Austin Henry Skinner September 25, 1878. He is highly 
respected, living in South Manchester, Conn. Mr. Spencer 
died there September 20, 1894, and his wife, June 13, 
1898. Two sons, born 1855 and 1856, died in infancy. 

HANNAH SPENCER. 

She is unmarried and resides in Waterbury. She had 
a memorable and frightful experience on the evening of 
February 20, 1848, when Amos, Susan and herself were 
descending the winding, steep hill southerly of their house, 
to make a call upon a neighbor, and their horse, becoming 
frightened, ran furiously and threw them out, Hannah 
striking upon a rock, and receiving a serious compound 
fracture of her limb ; in consequence of which injuries she 
was confined for weeks before she was able to walk. 
Hartford's distinguished surgeon, Doctor Pinckney W. 
Ellsworth, assisted Doctor Kasson, the family physician, 
in the treatment of the case. 

IMRI A. SPENCER. 

He early enlisted in the Civil War, was in Company 

F, 14th Conn. Volunteers, of which regiment Dwight 

Morris, of Bridgeport, was the first Colonel, Adjutant 

Theodore G. Ellis, of Hartford, succeeding him as 



BARBOLRS REMINISCENCES j^r 

Colonel. Imri was wounded in the thigh December 13, 
1862, at Fredericksburg, Va.; was captured at Reams 
Station, Va., August 25. 1864; was confined in Libby, 
Belle Isle and Salisbury prisons for six months; and was 
paroled at Goldsboro, North Carolina, February 27, 
1865. As prisoner he received the poor treatment usual 
in Confederate prisons, having, perhaps, as he expresses 
it, as good food as the Confederate government, in 
its straitened circumstances, could spare from its own 
army. That regiment was in thirty-three engagements, 
in nineteen of which Mr. Spencer participated. 

Mr. Spencer belongs to the G. A. R., the Odd Fellows 
and Royal Arcanum, and has held official positions therein. 
He has held several important political offices In Water- 
bury; is active in church matters; and is held in high es- 
teem for his integrity and good judgment. He was asso- 
ciated with his father in mercantile business, and is now 
conducting there a grain and feed business. 

On December 20, 1865, he was married to Christiana 
Whiton, of Bloomfield, who was born September 21, 
1844, and there have been born to them two children, 
Antoinette Whiton, April, 1869; and Alice Winifred, 
February 16, 1871; the former died July, 1871; Alice 
was married on June 10, 1897, to Davis Rich, and to them 
were bom two children, Josephine Spencer and F.velyn 
Spencer, aged now respectively three and one-half and two 
years. 

ELIZA BARBOUR. 

On October 25, 1831, she was married to Henry A. 
Adams, of Canton, Conn. He was the son of General 
Ezra Adams. They went to Skaneateles, New^ York, 
and bought and settled upon a farm. To them were born 
two children, Emerson H., March 22, 1838; and Ella 
Maria, June 3, 1847. ^^^- Adams died November 5, 
1856, his wife survived him thirty-two years, her death 
occurring May i, i888.# 



1^6 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

EMERSON H. ADAMS. 

On October 2,18 60, he was married to Annette Austin, 
who was born February 25, 1838, and to them were born 
three children, Warren Austin, September 14, 1861; 
Henry Emerson, January 27, 1864; and Spencer Lional, 
June 12, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Adams are living, he 
having succeeded his father on the farm; and for several 
years past he has been much engaged in banking business, 
being secrecai*y and treasurer of the Skaneateles Savings 
Bank. He is much interested in church and town matters, 
and is highly esteemed for his good judgment. 

WARREN AUSTIN ADAMS. 

He is German professor in Dartmouth College; is 
married and has two children, Austin L., born August 27, 
1897; and Henry, born June 15, 1904. 

HENRY EMERSON ADAMS. 

He is a professor in a high school in Maryland. 

SPENCER LIONAL ADAMS. 

He is a successful lawyer in Chicago, and is said to be 
amassing wealth. 

ELLA MARIA ADAMS. 

This daughter was married to Hubbard W. Cleave- 
land, of Skaneateles, and died March 25, 1901. Her 
death brought a sore affliction upon that otherwise very 
happy family, exceptionally favored of heaven. 

NANCY BARBER. 

On March 2, 1830, she was married to William Ely 
Brown, of Canton, who was born November 27, 1807, 
and to them were born fiv^e children, namely, a daughter, 
August 29, 1832; Catharine Eliza, March 26, 1835; 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



137 



Eliza Ann, July 21, 1845; Sherman Ely, May i, 1847; 
and a son, November 30, 1849. The first named child 
and last named child died at birth. Eliza Ann died June 
14, 1846. Catharine was a pupil of mine in the North 
Canton School. She was a sedate, thoughtful, and at- 
tractive young woman. She was married to Nelson J. 
Church on March 18, 1862. Her death, which occurred 
March, 1875, cast a gloom over the community. 

Mr. Brown was the son of Abiel Brown, famed for 
his genealogical sketches of Canton families. There were 
three other sons of Abiel, Selden H., John and Elizur O.; 
the father and four sons long living almost within a stone's 
throw of each other. Abiel was the brother of the father 
of John Brown, of national fame. 

William Ely was a man of few, and very deliberately 
spoken words, which, however, were always pertinent. 
Mentally he kept in close touch with all public matters, 
of religious, civil, and political interest. He was a whig, 
then a republican, and represented the town in the house 
in 1865. I have spoken on page 49 of the novel custom 
in the Canton Center Congregational Church, of having, 
as an addition to the large choir, an instrumental accom- 
paniment of the bass-viol, violin and flute, Mr. Brown 
playing on the bass-viol. Such a spectacle today would 
be pleasing to an audience. Mr. Brown's wife died 
October 25, 1879, ^"^ ^e died July 29, 1895. 

SHERMAN ELY BROWN. 

He was born in Canton, in the house where his par- 
ents had so long lived, receiving at his christening a part 
of his father's name and a part of his mother's brother's 
name. He spent his early life on the paternal farm; 
since that time he has resided at Canton Center and in 
Collinsville, engaged in milling and feed business. He 
has held several town ofl^ces, and filled them acceptably. 

On November 26, 1868, he was married to Florence 



138 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



I., daughter of Gaylord Barber, of Canton. She is a 
sister of the Rev. Clarence H. Barber, There have been 
born to this pair four children, Nellie Catharine, January 
1 8, 1 871; Kate Eliza, December 8, 1874; William Gay- 
lord, August 25, 1879; and Estella Irene, March 11, 
1893. William follows the business of his father, lately 
in Manchester, and now in Berlin, Conn. 

JONATHAN SHERMAN BARBER. 

He was married to Statira Church. For years he was 
a consumptive invalid, and died from that disease in June, 
1847, ^t the home of his sister, Susan, wife of Imri L. 
Spencer. He left no children. His widow married Har- 
mon Hamlin, a much respected man. They resided in the 
white Colonial house, near Canton railroad depot, at- 
tractive by reason of its tall pillars. 

HARVEY BARBER. 

On March 19, 1833, he was married to Lorinda Case, 
sister of Uriah. She was born April 3, 18 16. They 
were prosperous, highly respected persons; and for several 
years they owned and carried on a fine farm at North 
Canton. They then moved to Collinsville. There were 
born to them two children, Henrietta, July 10, 1837; and 
Willard J., November 21, 1850. On June 11, 1855, 
Henrietta was married to Rollin O. Humphrey, of Col- 
linsville, and to them were born two children, the first 
dying at birth, May 6, 1856, the other, Henry Rollin, 
died September 24, 1857, aged five months; Henrietta 
died May 8, 1857; her father died September 14, and her 
mother, October 12, 1859. 

WILLARD J. BARBER. 

On May 8, 1871, he was married to Henrietta Lin- 
coln, who was born February 4, 1851, and there were 
born to them three children, Lenore, March 15, 1873; 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



139 



Jane, October 21, 1882; and Harvey, January 9, 1883. 
Harvey, died September, 1883; Lenore, November 4, 
1898, and Willard's wife, on April 5, 1908. Mr. Barber 
resided in Canton for years, and worked for Collins Com- 
pany. He now resides at Ipswich, Massachusetts. 

BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF MY MOTHER. 

In all, my mother's father had fifteen children, two by 
his first wife (Lucy Case), namely, Horace (who died 
1855), and Solomon (who died 1830) ; and thirteen by 
his second wife [Hainiah Broun) ^ of which latter number 
my mother was one, and four of them died in infancy, — 
the other eight were, Heman (see pages 48, 56 and 71) ; 
Lucy, (born 178 i, married Jason Squires and died 1809) ; 
Luther, a clergyman (born 1783, twice married, left no 
children;) Clarinda, (born 1789, married Harvey Web- 
ster, of Farmington, had one child, Candace, whose 
daughter is the wife of Asa L. Case, son of Levi, residing 
in the house in which Levi lived and died) ; Candace, 
(born 1792, unmarried) ; Hannah, (wife of Alson Bar- 
ber, see page 56) ; Electa, (born 1799, married Sidney 
Hart, of Burlington, left no children) ; and Harriet, (born 
1802, unmarried) . 



COLLATERAL RELATIVES OF 
HENRY BARBOUR 



SADOSA BARBER. 

He was the first cousin of my father; was the son of 
Reuben, whose body was the first burled in Canton Center 
cemetery. Reuben was in the Revolutionary war, and 
when he came home at the close of the war his pay is 
said to have consisted of a fifty dollar bill of Continental 
currency. It proved to have no value; and sometime 
afterward he lighted his pipe with it. 

Sadosa was born January 31, 1781, and on February 
4, 1802 he was married to Sarah Cleveland, who was born 
August 8, 1784, and who was first cousin of Governor 
Chauncey F. Cleveland, and sixth cousin to President 
Grover Cleveland. There were born to Sadosa and Sarah 
ten children, Melissa, April 3, 1803; Sterling J., June 30, 
1804; Ansel S., July 8, 1806; Sophronia, July 23, 1808; 
Clarissa, February 11, 181 1; Fannie L., September 4, 
t8i8; Fanny E., February 14, 1820; Lucius L., July 17, 
1822; Jasper E., August 11, 1824; a.nd Henry Martin, 
December 14, 1832. Fanny L. died in infancy, on May 
17, 1819. 

The other children were married, as follows, Melissa, 
to David Lane in 1831 ; Sterling to Pluma P. Mills; Ansel 
to Mary Chapman; Sophronia, to Samuel Victor Wood- 
bridge: Clarissa to Henry G. Sexton; Fannie E., to James 
Clark; Lucius to Celia Chapman; Jasper E., to Marie P. 
Bowers; and Henry to Melissa E. Lee on February 15, 
1854. Jasper's wife was the sister of Chester A, Bowers, 
longtime popular merchant tailor, on Asylum street, Hart- 
ford, who was born in Collinsv^Ille in 1815, and died in 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



141 



Hartford June 23, i 884. He was one of the very politest 
persons I ever knew; often in conversation, particularly in 
his business, repeating the word " Sir," with the accom- 
paniment of a bow, not only of his head but of his body. 
Sadosa died November 25, i860, and his wife, March 7, 
1861. Melissa died May 3, 1891; Sterling, May 19, 
1878; Ansel, March 22, 1875; Sophronia, September 21, 
1891; Clarissa, December 15, 1867; Fanny K., January 
29, 1883; Lucius, October 18, 1868; and Jasper, March 
22, 1872. 

HENRY M. BARBOUR. 

He is the only one living of that large family of 
children, his wife is also living, and they are residing in 
the house in which he was born. To them have been born 
six children, Wilbur H., November 15, 1854; George I., 
June 16, 1859; Lillian A., December 9, 1861; Ella A., 
November 16, 1864; Arthur H., August 22, 1871; and 
Emma J., November 20, 1874. Wilbur died June 2, 
i860; Lillian, September 25, 1863; Arthur, February 
22, 1873; Emma, August 19, 1895. 

George was married, first, to Emma J. Bidwell, and, 
secondly, to Bessie H. Buckingham; Ella was married to 
William H. Chapin; Emma was married to Arthur G. 
Sisson. 

Mr. Barbour has held the offices of Constable, As- 
sessor, member board of relief, selectman and was in the 
house in 1880. 

David Lane, who was married to Melissa Barber, was 
born November 8, 1799, and died May 4, 1839. He and 
Melissa first met while she was acting as housekeeper for 
Samuel W. Collins, and he was boarding in the family. 
It is said that he was the eighth man employed by Collins 
Company; also, that he set out the present large elm trees 
on the Collinsville Church green, while he was working 
for the Company. There were born to David and Melissa 



142 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



three children, David Frank, February 29, 1832; RoUin 
Dwight, April 8, 1834; and Fanny Lucretla, who is now 
the widow of Calvin Pike. Frank was married to i\.nna 
Cromack, and they had three children. At the outbreak 
of the Civil War he offered his services to his country; 
was for a time stationed as guard at the Arsenal in Hart- 
ford; then worked at recruiting for Colonel Colt's regi- 
ment (which the government saw fit not to accept, with 
the Colonel's proposed mode of arming it) and finally he 
became a member of the fifth Conn, regiment, volun- 
teers, being made captain of Co. D, and was afterward 
promoted to the position of major. He died many years 
ago. 

ROLLIN DWIGHT LANE. 

His life has been a strenuous one, he having had to 
earn every dollar he ever received. He was five years 
old when his father died, and, his mother being poor, he 
was put out to service with farmers when he was seven 
years old, his first wages being six cents a day. He 
worked some of the time for Elam Case, whom he con- 
siders one of the best men that ever lived. One incident 
in his experience with that man is mentioned on page 33. 
He relates two others, that show the big heart and blunt 
manner of that man. 

While Melissa and her children were living near him, 
she went to him one day, and asked him if he would sell 
her a bushel of potatoes. She was greatly taken back by 
his, " No, Mrs. Lane, I Avon't sell you a bushel of pota- 
toes." After giving her a little time to rally from the 
shock, he said to her, " You and your boy may go out into 
the lot and dig and put in your cellar enough to last you 
through the winter." On the other occasion, a farmer, 
whom he didn't know, applied to him to borrow a hundred 
dollars, for buying a yoke of oxen. He talked with the 
man in his gruff way, to find out something about him, 
and finally he said, " Let me see your hands." On finding 



\ 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 14^ 

that his calloused palms were proof that he was a hard 
working man, he said to him, " Yes, I'll lend you the 
money." 

On October 27, 1858, Rollin was married to Julia 
Smith Miner. Their son, Arthur Miner, born October 
18, 1859, is a successful osteopathic physician in Boston. 
The doctor is married and has a daughter, Madge Ada, 
wife of Burr Pierce of New Haven. 

Rollin is a republican, has always been a very active 
political worker; cast his first presidential vote for 
Fremont. While residing in Collinsville, he was chair- 
man of the town committee from 1858 to 1874, then be- 
came a member of the State Central Committee. He left 
Collinsville in 1877 and resides in Hartford. He was 
U. S. mail agent on the Connecticut Western railroad 
for more than fifteen years, and was Superintendent of the 
old North Cemetery, Hartford, about ten years. Though 
nearly seventy-five years old, he is vigorous, and capable 
of active service. 

MARY BARBER. 

This woman was a not very distant cousin of my 
father, being the daughter of Giles, and granddaughter 
of Dr. Samuel Barber, spoken of on page ^6. She was 
the sister of Jesse (page 31,) Linus, Volney G., and Mrs. 
Selden White (page 77). Her father was prominent 
in Canton affairs. She was born June 5, 1803. On 
January i, 1829, she was married to Noah Russell 
Lynan Bristol, who was born June 9, 1797. There were 
born to them four children, Volney R., December 22, 
1829; Kezia M., November 5, 1832; Burton H., Septem- 
ber 26, 1835; and Anson W., June 9, 1840. Volney and 
Burton never married, the former died August, 1887, 
the latter, February 6, 1872. Mr. Bristol died Septem- 
ber 8, 1 86 1, and his wife September 4, 1887. 

On February 20, 1853, Kezia was married to George 



144 



BARBOL^RS REMINISCENCES 



L. White, a brother of Ruel O., a well known and much 
respected man, who resided in Barkhamsted, on " Rat- 
lem " hill, when I first knew him, and afterward in Pleas- 
ant Valley, near North End, New Hartford; and in the 
latter period he represented Barkhamsted in the House, in 
1 86 1. George died July, 1904. There were born to 
him and Kezia four children, Julia, Edgar, Jessie and 
Herman, all of whom died in infancy. Mrs. White now 
resides in Bristol, Conn. 

Mr. Bristol was highly honored by his fellow citizens, 
holding the office of town clerk for twenty years, and 
represented the town in the legislature in 1835. I re- 
member him and his wife as dignified in bearing, and they 
were among the persons I had in mind as former residents, 
when reciting the Poem at the Centennial Celebration on 
July 18, 1906. 

ANSON W. BRISTOL. 

He is a farmer, owning and residing on the farm for- 
merly belonging to Oliver Bidwell, situated a little west- 
erly of Cherry Brook railroad station. He is v'ery promi- 
nent in town affairs, held the oflRce of town clerk, 1875- 
1886, has held other town offices, and, when lot designates 
him for jury duty, creditably performs that service in the 
different courts in Hartford. He was a respected pupil 
of mine the two winters I taught in the " Conference 
house." 

On November i, i860, he was married to Sarah E. 
Williams, and there have been born to them twelve chil- 
dren, as follows; Minnie E., September 13, 1861; Burton 
E., January 29, 1863; Burton Noah, November 9, 1864; 
Mortimer L., December 29, 1866; Anson W., Jr., April 
25, 1871; Mary M., August 27, 1873; Helen B., May 
21, 1878; Roscoe C, and Ruby S. (twins), September 23, 
1880; Christa E., December 25, 1885; Sterling W., Octo- 
ber 20, 1887; and Catharine Barber, January 22, 1890. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



145 



Burton E, died February 15, 1865; and Ruby, February 
12, 1882. 

No apology is needed for reporting such a splendid 
compliance with the scriptural injunction, given to the 
original pair, " Be Fruitful, and Multiply." One might 
well lament, as does President Roosevelt, that so many 
families are childless, and might well exclaim, Oh! the 
loss in many ways to that household in which there is not 
a child! 

S. B. 

Hartford, June 25, 1908. 



Y 



I 



APPENDIX 



As the foregoing sketches are dedicated to the Phoebe 
Humphrey Chapter of the Daughters of the American 
Revolution, Colhnsville branch, I follow the sketches 
with a copy of the Chapter's Catalogue, containing the 
By-Laws of the Chapter, names of the Officers and 
Members, and other interesting information. 




This house, built by Benj. Dyer in 1747, now known as the Page House, occupied by 
L. D. Dowd, is conceded by the best authorities to be the oldest house in Canton, now standing. 
The site of a house built a little earlier, and known as the Richard Case House, may still be 
seen opposite the house lately occupied by John Case, deceased. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



149 



Daughters 



American Revolution 




PHOEBE HUMPHREY CHAPTER 



Connecticut Chapter, No. 46 
National Chapter, No. 686 



CoLLINSVILLE CONNECTICUT 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES jri 



BY-LAWS 

OF THE 

Phoebe Humphrey Chapter, 

DAUGHTERS 

OF THE 

AMERICAN REVOLUTION 

Organized January jo, /goj. 



Connecticut Chapter, No. 46 
National Chapter, No. 686 



COLLINSVILLE, CoNN. 



BV-LAH'S A D O PT E D -tqos 



152 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



I905-I906 
STATE REGENT, 

Mrs. SARA THOMSON KINNEY. 



STATE VICE-REGENT, 

Mrs. TRACY BRONSON WARREN. 

HONORARY STATE REGENTS FOR LIFE, 

Mrs. WILLIAM M. OLCOTT, 
Norwich. 

Mrs. ELIZABETH ROGERS SMITH, 
Hartford. 




j\IRS. SAKA THOMSON KINNEY 

State Regent of the Daughters of the American 
Revolution of the Slate of Conneclicut. 





MRS. J. B. LOUGEE 

Regent of the Phoebe Humphrey Chapter of 
the Daughters of the American Revolution of 
Collinsville, Conn. 



MRS. D. T. DYER 

Organizing Regent of the Phoebe Humphrey 
Chapter of the Daughters of the American 
Revolution of Collinsville, Conn. 





PHO^^E HUMPHRKV HOUSE, CAXTOX. 
(See pag:e 154 for explanatory note.) 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



153 



CHAPTER OFFICERS 

ELECTED 1905 



Regent, 
Mrs. D. T. Dyer. 

Vice-Regent, 
Mrs. J. B. Lougee. 

Recording Secretary, 
Mrs. C. H. Smith. 

Corresponding Secretary, 
Miss Sara Dyer. 

Registrar, 
Mrs. G. a. Latimer. 

Treasurer, 
Mrs. I. W. Havens. 

Historian, 
Mrs. F. p. Swezey. 

Board of Management, 
Mrs. W. W. Huntley, Mrs. Z. J. Hinman, 

Mrs. E. J. Latimer, Mrs. G. A. Codaire, 

Mrs. Weston Barnes. 



154 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



Phcebe Humphrey, the daughter of Samuel Humph- 
rey and Prudence Mills, was born in 1763 in the town 
of Canton, Conn. The record states that her father, 
commonly called " Master Sam," " taught school and 
wrote much." The record also states that he was lame, 
which physical infirmity doubtless prevented him from 
enlisting in the army. 

We know comparatively little of her life. Three 
times she passed through the sorrows of widowhood. 
Her first husband was Abisha Forbes, of Canton, of which 
marriage a grandson, Bleeker Forbes, survives and is now 
residing in Collinsville. She is described as a woman of 
fine physique and more than ordinary courage. Tradition 
says that just after the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga, 
some of the British troops, including Hessians, on their 
way to Boston, passed through " Canton Street " and 
stopped for rest near the home of Phoebe Humphrey 
Forbes. One of the men, a Hessian, came to her door 
and seeing her about to take breaci out of the oven, de- 
manded a loaf, which she promptly refused, emphasizing 
her words with a motion of the shovel in her hand. It 
is said that an officer coming along just then, saw the man's 
danger and advised him to come away. 

The house in which Phoebe Humphrey lived near 
Canton Street, is now standing. She died in Berlin, 
Conn., at the home of her son-in-law, Mr. Albert Hurlbert, 
on February 20, 1848, at the age of 85, and was buried in 
Canton. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



155 



PHOEBE HUMPHREY CHAPTER, 

D. A. R., 
COLLINSVILLE, CONNECTICUT. 
Organized January 30, 1905. 



OFFICERS. 

Elected December 14, tqo6. 
REGENT, VICE-REGENT, 

MRS. J. B. LOUGEE, MRS. I. W. HAVENS, 

SECRETARY, COR. SECRETARY, 

MRS. Z. J. HINMAN, MISS JOSEPHINE BARBOUR, 

REGISTRAR, HISTORIAN, 

MRS. G. A. LATIMER, MRS. J. P. HOSFORD, 

TREASURER, 

MRS. W. W. HUNTLEY. 



ADVISORY BOARD, 

MRS. J. B. FLINT, MRS. HERBERT HOLT, 

MRS. C. H. SMITH, MRS. J. A. NORTH, 

MRS. B. F. CASE. 



156 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



BY-LAWS 



ARTICLE I. 

Name. 
The name of this Chapter shall be the Phoebe Humphrey Chap- 
ter, Daughters of the American Revolution. 

ARTICLE II. 

Object. 
This Chapter is formed under and in accordance with Article 
VII of the Constitution of the National Society, D. A. R., and 
has for its object, not onh" to honor the heroic men and women 
of the Revolution, but to cultivate and perpetuate their spirit of 
patriotism, to elucidate their personal history and heroism, to 
encourage historical research in relation to the Revolution and 
publication of its results; to acquire, preserve, and mark historic 
spots; to foster true patriotism and love of country, and to carry 
out the injunction of Washington in his farewell address to the 
people: "To promote, as an object of primary importance, in- 
stitutions for the general diffusion of knowledge," thus developing 
an enlightened public opinion, and affording to young and old 
such advantages as shall develop in them the largest capacity for 
performing the duties of American citizens. 

ARTICLE III. 

Government. 
This Chapter shall be governed by the Constitution and By- 
Laws of the National Society of which each Daughter is a 
member. 

ARTICLE IV. 
Membership. 
Section' i. Any woman having the qualifications required 
for membership in the National Society and endorsed by the Local 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



157 



I 



Board of Management, (who shall vote by ballot), shall be con- 
sidered eligible for membership in the Chapter. 

Sec. 2. Persons desiring to become members of this Chapter 
must be introduced by a Chapter member either personally or by 
note to the Registrar, who shall then present the name to the 
Board of Management at its next meeting. If accepted, applica- 
tion blanks will be sent to the applicant. 

Sec. 3. These blanks must be filled out in duplicate and 
each one must be signed by a member of the National Society, who 
shall vouch for the acceptability of the applicant. 

They must then be returned to the Registrar accompanied by 
the entrance fee and the dues for the current year. If elected the 
application blanks must be signed by the Regent, Secretary and 
Registrar, and by the latter transmitted to Registrar General for 
the approval of the National Board of Management. The appli- 
cant will be notified by the Registrar of the action taken upon her 
papers. 

Sec. 4. A member transferred from another Chapter shall 
be received upon presenting to the Registrar a transfer card signed 
by the Regent, Treasurer, and Registrar of the Chapter of which 
she is a member in good and regular standing and a copy of her 
duplicate paper. 

ARTICLE V. 
Fees. 

Section i. The regular admission fees and dues shall be as 
follows: One dollar admission fee, and two dollars and twenty- 
five cents annual dues, payable in advance on or before the 2d of 
January of each year, of which the admission fee and such part 
of the annual dues as is required hy the National Society shall be 
sent to the Treasurer General at least six weeks before the next 
ensuing Continental Congress, and twenty-five cents to the 
Treasurer of the Connecticut Utility fund. Any member who 
shall remain in arrears for dues for three months after notice of 
her indebtedness has been sent to her by the Treasurer, may be 
dropped from the list of members of the Chapter, by a majority 
vote of the Board of Management, provided that no one shall 
be dropped until after two notices of arrears, one month apart, 
shall have been given her. 



158 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



Sec. 2. The sum of $3.25 covering the initiation fees and 
the annual for the current year, must accompany each application 
presented to the Chapter. Any member whose papers are accepted 
by the National Society on or after August 22d in any year, 
shall not be required to pay dues again until a year from the suc- 
ceeding January, 

ARTICLE VI. 

Officers. 
The officers of the Chapter shall be a Regent, Vice-Regent, 
Recording and Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Registrar, 
and a Historian, all of whom, with five other members who hold 
no office, shall constitute a Board of Management, to be elected 
at the annual meeting of the Chapter to be held the second meet- 
ing in December of each year. The officers shall be elected by 
ballot and shall hold office for two years. No person shall hold 
more than one office at the same time. No person shall be eligible 
to the same office more than two years consecutively, except the 
Registrar and Historian. 

ARTICLE VII. 

Duties of the Officers. 

Section i. The Regent shall be the official head of the 
Chapter, and the other officers shall take rank after her as 
enumerated in Article VI. She shall preside at all meetings of 
the Chapter and shall sign all bills, orders, and drafts on the 
Treasurer. 

Sec. 2. The Vice-Regent shall perform the duties of the 
Regent in her absence. 

Sec. 3. The Recording Secretary shall record all proceedings 
at the meetings of the Chapter and of the Board of Management. 
Shall notify officers of their election and committees of their ap- 
pointments. She shall prepare the annual report, a copy of which 
she shall send to the State Regent, and shall perform any other 
duties pertaining to her office. 

Sec. 4. The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct the cor- 
respondence of the Chapter; shall retain copies of all letters 
written, and keep on file all communications received by her; she 
shall notify members of special meetings of the Chapter, at least 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



159 



three days before such meetings are to be held, and shall perform 
such other duties as the Board of Management may direct. She 
shall also notify Corresponding Secretary General of the election 
and appointment of all officers and delegates and shall send a 
duplicate copy of such notification to the State Regent. 

Sec. 5. The Treasurer shall receive the initiation fees, dues 
for membership, and all other moneys belonging to the Chapter, 
and pay all bills approved by the Regent or by the Vice-Regent, 
if the Regent be unable to act. She shall keep an account of re- 
ceipts and expenditures and submit the same to the Auditing 
Committee once a year before the annual meeting. She shall 
notify members who are in arrears, and forward to the Treasurer 
General the amount of the initiation fee, and such part of the 
annual dues as is required by the National Society, when an ap- 
plication is sent to the Registrar General. She shall also send to 
the Treasurer General before the 22d of February each year, the 
amount required for each member of the Chapter, and a report of 
the same to the State Regent. 

Sec. 6. The Registrar shall receive and examine all applica- 
tions for membership, and when endorsed by the Regent and Secre- 
tary', forward the same to the Registrar General with a duplicate 
copy to be returned to the Registrar. She shall also keep a record 
of the names and dates of the election, resignation, transference, 
or death of the members of the Chapter and transmit to the State 
Regent a duplicate of the record. She shall have the care and 
custody of all duplicates after their acceptance by the National 
Board. 

Sec. 7. The Historian shall have the custody of all historical 
and biographical collections of which this Chapter may become 
possessed ; shall keep a record of all historical and commemorative 
meetings, and prepare, or cause to be prepared, such historical 
papers as this Chapter shall require. 

Sec. 8. The Board of Management shall consider and formu- 
late current business and fill any vacancies which may occur in 
office until the next annual meeting; shall judge of the qualifica- 
tions of applicants for admission, when presented by the registrar, 
and elect the same by ballot; arrange for entertainments and in 
general do all in its power for the prosperity and success of the 
Chapter. The regular meetings of the Board may be held a half 



l6o BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

hour previous to the regular meetings of the Chapter. Five shall 
constitute a quorum of the Board. Special meetings of the Board 
may be called by the Regent, Vice-Regent, or Recording Secre- 
tary, upon written request of three of its members. 

ARTICLE VIII. 

Order of Business. 
Roll Call. 

Reading and approval of minutes of previous meeting. 
Reports of officers and committees. 
Unfinished business. 
New business. 
Miscellaneous business. 
Program of the Day. 



ARTICLE IX. 

Guests. 
Husbands of members. Sons of the American Revolution, and 
members of other Chapters may be invited to participate in the 
social events of the Chapter.. 

ARTICLE X. 

Amendments. 
The By-Laws may be amended at any meeting, written notice 
of the proposed change having been submitted at a previous 
meeting. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES igj 



CHARTER MEMBERS 



I. 


Mrs. D. T. Dyer 




(nee Hattie M. Case). 


2. 


Miss Sarah Dyer 


3. 


Mrs. B. F. Case, 




(nee Mary Higley). 


4- 


Mrs. G. a. Codaire. 




(nee Jennie L. Hotchkiss). 


5. 


Mrs. Z. J. HiNMAN 




(nee M. Jennie Hinman). 


6. 


Mrs. F. p. Swezey 




(nee Pauline Smith). 


7. 


Mrs. I. W. Havens 




(nee Cora Wolcott). 


8. 


Mrs. J. B. Lougee 




(nee Sarah L. Rice). 


9- 


Mrs. G. a, Latimer 




(nee Sara J. Lougee). 


lO. 


Mrs. J. Hinman 




(nee Pluma Rice). 


II. 


Mrs. Weston Barnes 




(nee Charlotte Marquis). 


12. 


Miss Bessie Winifred Barnes 


13. 


Miss Louise M. Hotchkiss 


14. 


Mrs, E. J. Latimer 




(nee Emma Monks). 


15. 


Miss Edna Genevieve Farnham 


16. 


Miss Harriet C. Dyer 


17. 


Mrs. C. H. Smith 




(nee Mary Priscilla Barker). 



I 52 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

1 8. Mrs. C. A. Hart 

(nee Inez M. Case). 

19. Mrs. W. W. Huntley 

(nee Emma Rice). 

20. Mrs. W. a. Rice 

(nee Claribel Hinman). 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 163 



NEW MEMBERS 



21. Miss Josephine A. Barbour 

22. Mrs. S. H. Dowd 

(nee Florence Barnes). 

23. Mrs. J. P. Hosford 

(nee Hattie Wright). 

24. Mrs. J. A. North 

(nee Anetta Philura Drake). 

25. Mrs. H. S. Holt 

(nee Alice May North). 

26. Mrs. E. H. Bancroft 

(nee Bessie Hotchkiss Codaire). 

27. Miss Minnie Robinson Codaire 

28. Mrs. E, E. Clark 

(iiee May Hinman). 

29. Mrs. T. S. Bidwell 

(nee Hattie Hinman). 

30. Mrs. I. C. Davis 

(nee Grace C. Bidwell). 

31. Mrs. J. B. Flint 

(nee Harriet Lucinda Blair). 

32. Mrs. F. M. Butler 

(nee Emily Marilla Webster). 

33. Mrs. Herbert Barnes 

(nee Edna Leona Butler). 

34. Mrs. O. F. Perry 

(nee Laura Latimer). 

35. Mrs. C. J. Fox 

(nee Julia F. Cannon). 

36. Mrs. Isaac Barnes 

(nee Nellie M. Smith). 



164 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

37. Mrs. B. O. Higley 

(nee Emma J. Woodford). 

38. Mrs. G. B. Fenn 

(nee Carrie Higley). 

39. Mrs. H. C, Hough 

(nee Josephine Case). 

40. Mrs. H. L. Sanborn 

(nee Frances Case). 

41. Mrs. S. S. S. Campbell 

(nee Lelia Corey). 




"DYER CEMETERY," CANTON, CuNN. 




ENTRANT .., ,< ■ ...V ^ i-.Mi. . .... . . 

Erected by Hon. Jasper H. Bidwell, of CoUinsville, in Memory of Corinne Beckwitli Hidwell. 



BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 



165 



NOTE 



Revolutionary 


Soldiers burled in Dyer Cemetery, 


Canton, Conn. 




1 


Thomas Bidwell 


2 


Dudley Case 


3 


Edward Case 


4 


Silas Case 


5 


Daniel Case, 2d. 


6 


Abel Case 


7 


Elias Case 


8 


Joseph Dyer 


9 


Oliver Humphrey 


10 


Charles Humphrey 


II 


George Humphrey 


12 


Ruggles Humphrey 


13 


Asher Humphrey 


14 


Benjamin Mills 


15 


Amasa Mills 


16 


Ephraim Mills 


17 


Abraham Pettibone 


18 


Solomon Ackart 


Ci\-.il War soldi 


ers there buried. 


I 


Enos A. Sage 


2 


Solomon Hosmer 


3 


Philip Perkins 



Upon the recent application of Phoebe Humphrey 
Chapter, D. A. R., to The Connecticut Society of the 
Sons of the i\merican Revolution, Bronze Markers were 
furnished for the above named graves, and the Chapter 



1 66 BARBOUR'S REMINISCENCES 

caused the same to be placed at the graves; and on May 
30, 1908, Memorial Day, the members of the Chapter 
decorated said graves. In this matter, and in all the 
affairs of the Chapter, Mrs. D. T. Dyer, the Organizing 
Regent of the Chapter, has rendered loving, patriotic ser- 
vice, in which she has had the hearty co-operation of all 
the members. 

Hon. Jasper H. Bidwell, of CoUinsville, is great grand- 
son of Thomas Bidwell, the first of the above named Rev- 
olutionary soldiers. 

S. B. 



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